Katherine Rafferty, associate teaching professor of communication studies at Iowa State University, is available to talk about her ongoing work exploring women’s narratives and decision-making around medication abortions. “My research shows women often describe their experiences as complex, rife and…
Tag: Communication
Study: COVID Tech Took a Toll on Work-from-Home Moms
Research by UNLV communications expert Natalie Pennington finds that texts, video calls burdened the mental health of working moms during pandemic.
Engineering Researchers Receive $1 Million NSF Grant for First Networked-AI Testbed
Just like humans, autonomous robots need to communicate with one another to learn together and to accomplish a team mission such as search and rescue. Researchers are developing the nation’s first-of-its-kind testbed platform that connects robots using high-frequency radio waves (30 to 300 gigahertz). The robots will be able communicate at ultra-high speeds of gigabits per second by forming and directing ‘beams’ toward each other that also will enable them to see through objects as needed. They will see what the other robots are sensing in real-time, resulting in five times the eyes thanks to the nearly instantaneous exchange of high volumes of data.
When building rapport, sometimes less is more
Sometimes less is more, at least when it comes to building rapport during interviews. That’s according to new research from the University of Georgia, which reveals that verbal interviewing techniques have a greater impact than nonverbal techniques—and combining the two had a detrimental effect.
New research shows most people are honest — except for a few
About three-quarters of people were consistently honest, telling between zero and two lies per day. By contrast, a small subset of people averaged more than six lies per day and accounted for a sizable proportion of the lies, says researcher Timothy Levine, Ph.D.
Cat’s Meow: Robotic Pet Boosts Mood, Behavior and Cognition in Adults with Dementia
Researchers tested the effectiveness of affordable, interactive robotic pet cats to improve mood, behavior and cognition in older adults with mild to moderate dementia.
Perceptions of treatment risk vary based on how surgeons communicate risk information to patients
Using quantitative rather than qualitative terms to describe the risks of various treatment options improves communication between surgeons and patients.
‘Whoop’ – New Autonomous Method Precisely Detects Endangered Whale Vocalizations
One of the frequently used methods to monitor endangered whales is called passive acoustics technology, which doesn’t always perform well.
Women Athletes Get Most Airtime Ever
A tally by the authors of the book Olympic Television: Broadcasting the Biggest Show on Earth found women athletes received the majority of the coverage within the 17 nights of NBC’s Tokyo Summer Olympic primetime broadcast.
DHS Awards Nearly $1M to Small Business to Secure NG9-1-1 Multimedia Content
DHS SBIR Program recently awarded $997,526.67 to San Antonio, Texas-based SecureLogix to secure responders data against increased cyber threats.
NIST Awards $2.99M to Commercialize DHS S&T-Developed Interoperable Public Safety Communications System
NIST awarded $2,988,950 in a new round of funding for new interoperable communication systems for public safety through its SBIR program, Catalyst Communications Technologies of Forest, Virginia, was provided this Phase III award for commercialization of its interoperable communications solution.
Electric fish — and humans — pause before communicating key points
Research from Washington University in St. Louis reveals an underlying mechanism for how pauses allow neurons in the midbrain to recover from stimulation.
Helping Adults Navigate the Decision to Move Back in With Parents
A recent study offers insight into how adults can navigate the often awkward experience of moving back in with their parents.
Telling sunbathers what they don’t want to hear: Tanning is bad
Most young women already know that tanning is dangerous and sunbathe anyway, so a campaign informing them of the risk should take into account their potential resistance to the message, according to a new study.

Making Communication Clearer During COVID-19
Realizing that wearing a mask can make communication harder for people with hearing loss, Rush University Medical Center is now offering transparent face masks. These clear masks can help ease stressful situations and it make it less likely for information to be misinterpreted.

New book considers democracy’s future, improving governance
University of Illinois Chicago researcher Zizi Papacharissi draws on interviews conducted with everyday citizens of more than 30 countries
The truth, or fake news? How to do the research yourself with deception expert Tim Levine
The world has many different information streams now. Levine shares his strategy for deciphering facts from fiction, no matter the topic.

3D-Printed Smart Gel Changes Shape When Exposed to Light
Inspired by the color-changing skin of cuttlefish, octopuses and squids, Rutgers engineers have created a 3D-printed smart gel that changes shape when exposed to light, becomes “artificial muscle” and may lead to new military camouflage, soft robotics and flexible displays. The engineers also developed a 3D-printed stretchy material that can reveal colors when light changes, according to their study in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
UB expert says Biden’s emphasis on unity can take the politics out of the pandemic response
BUFFALO, N.Y. – President-elect Joe Biden’s emphasis on national unity as part of his administration’s messaging surrounding the response to the COVID-19 pandemic is an effective tool that can help minimize the influence of political ideology on the public perception…

Face Masks Provide Additional Communication Barrier for Nonnative Speech
Though face masks are important and necessary for controlling the spread of the new coronavirus, they result in muffled speech and a loss of visual cues during communication. Sandie Keerstock, Rajka Smiljanic, and their colleagues examine how this loss of visual information impacts speech intelligibility and memory for native and nonnative speech. They will discuss these communication challenges and how to address them at the 179th ASA Meeting, Dec. 7-10
Study Finds Strong Links Between Trust and Social Media Use
A recent study finds a powerful correlation between the extent to which users trust Facebook, and the intensity of their Facebook use. The study also finds what contributes to that user trust.

Feature Article: S&T Tests Remote Communications Device for Agents on Northern Border
DHS S&T and U.S. Border Patrol conducted a focused assessment Somewear’s Global Hotspot to provide portable situational awareness capabilities.
What Makes COVID Misinformation So Tough to Stop on Social Media
A recent study highlights two of the reasons that misinformation about COVID-19 is so difficult to tackle on social media: most people think they’re above average at spotting misinformation; and misinformation often triggers negative emotions that resonate with people.
TeamSTEPPS Interventions to Improve Communication and Teamwork
Effective handoff communication among nurses contributes to preventing errors and improving nursing communication and teamwork. Few studies have explored strategies to improve communication among acute rehabilitation nurses. This evidence-based clinical practice study aimed to enhance a practice change by applying…
US battles with election anticipation in era of instant communication
With Election Day now two days behind us, Americans are waiting with anticipation to know the results of voting and finally see who will be president on Jan. 20, 2021. In a world where instant communication is commonplace, Americans are…

Expert available to speak on how magazine censorship helped strengthen the LGBTQ community
Research from Jason Shepard, chair and professor of communications at Cal State Fullerton, highlights how First Amendment law was both a weapon and shield in the expansion of LGBTQ rights well before the Stonewall Riots.
5G Introduces New Benefits, Cybersecurity Risks
5G advances existing telecommunication infrastructure, improves bandwidth and capabilities, and reduces network-generated delays—and it also introduces new cyber risks that S&T is working to address.

‘Honey bee, it’s me’
For a honey bee, few things are more important than recognizing your nestmates. Being able to tell a nestmate from an invader could mean the difference between a honey-stocked hive and a long, lean winter. New research from Washington University in St. Louis shows that honey bees rely on chemical cues related to their shared gut microbial communities, instead of genetic relatedness, to identify members of their colony.

Disaster Preparedness in the Palm of Your Hand
Two CUSEC apps help emergency managers prepare for and recover from disasters like earthquakes. Both are free and available for use via the S&T-supported Regional Information Sharing Platform.
DHS Recognizes DOI Lab to Perform Rigorous P25 CAP Testing
DHS S&T’s partnership with DOI addresses critical need to conduct ISSI and CSSI conformance testing.
DHS S&T SVIP Awards $186K to TranslateLive for Language Translation Capabilities
TranslateLive to adapt Instant Language Assistant to support USCG operator safety and mission performance.
How (and Why) Steak-umm Became a Social Media Phenomenon During the Pandemic
A new study outlines how a brand of frozen meat products took social media by storm – and what other brands can learn from the phenomenon.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Communicating About COVID-19 Vaccine
New Brunswick, N.J. (Sept. 17, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor William Hallman is available for interviews on how to communicate with the public about a potential COVID-19 vaccine. “For a COVID-19 vaccine to be embraced by the public, officials can’t…

S&T-Funded App Allows Emergency Responders to Communicate Seamlessly on the Front Lines
Bridge 4 Public Safety is a free app to that allows for interoperable, secure collaboration and communication during response efforts.
Bio-based communication networks could control cells in the body to treat conditions
Scientists have found a method for electronic devices to communicate with biological cells, paving the way for smart implantable devices. They will present their results today at the American Chemical Society Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting & Expo.
Cornell Arts and Sciences dean awarded Carl Sagan Medal
Ray Jayawardhana, the Harold Tanner Dean of Arts and Sciences and professor of astronomy at Cornell University, has been awarded the 2020 Carl Sagan Medal by the Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) of the American Astronomical Society for excellence in public communication in planetary science.
Communication should be a vital sign, researchers argue
In an editorial published June 19 in the journal Critical Care Medicine, Lance Patak, an assistant professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and two faculty partners with The Ohio State University College of Nursing suggest that patient communications should be as standard and routine as any other vital sign

Women’s communication shapes division of labor in household
A new study led a team that analyzed the role that communication plays in the division of household labor. They found that partner communication is the most important factor linking the division of household labor to satisfaction in the relationship. But the way that the partners’ communication matters depends on gender.
How Social Media Platforms Can Contribute to Dehumanizing Other People
A recent analysis of discourse on Facebook highlights how social media can be used to dehumanize entire groups of people.

The Growing Impact of the Team Awareness Kit
The Team Awareness Kit (TAK) is the emerging DHS-wide solution for situational awareness. Its exceptional tactical value has been proven time and again.
Communications in the Time of the Coronavirus: Lessons for Leaders
At a time of uncertainty and growing anxiety caused by the coronavirus pandemic, having transparent, consistent and empathetic communication with key stakeholders is more critical than ever. Darden Professor June West and Darden Executive-in-Residence Steve Soltis share four lessons in communicating through the fast-moving crisis.

Snapshot: Email Security and Privacy
DHS S&T, along with BlueRISC, Inc., is developing a new Cloud-based Root-of-Trust (CRoT) technology called EPRIVO Enterprise 2.0 to address mobile device email security and privacy.
Leading Mindfully: COVID-19 and the Big Human Pivot, Part I
What’s novel about COVID-19 isn’t just the coronavirus. It’s the sheer scale and depth of The Big Human Pivot that this tiny infectious particle has triggered. In unprecedented times, what can you do to lead mindfully through it? In this series, Lili Powell introduces a Leading Mindfully strategy: “see it, name it, tame it and reclaim it.”

Extreme High-Frequency Signals Enable Terabits-Per-Second Data Links
Using the same technology that allows high-frequency signals to travel on regular phone lines, researchers tested sending extremely high-frequency, 200 GHz signals through a pair of copper wires. The result is a link that can move data at rates of terabits per second, significantly faster than currently available channels. In Applied Physics Letters, the scientists discuss their work using experimental measurements and mathematical modeling to characterize the input and output signals in a waveguide.

What are You Looking At? ‘Virtual’ Communication in the Age of Social Distancing
When discussions occur face-to-face, people know where their conversational partner is looking and vice versa. With “virtual” communication due to COVID-19 and the expansive use of mobile and video devices, now more than ever, it’s important to understand how these technologies impact communication. Where do people focus their attention? The eyes, mouth, the whole face? And how do they encode conversation? A first-of-its-kind study set out to determine whether being observed affects people’s behavior during online communication.

Conversing About Coronavirus: How to Talk to Your Children About the Pandemic
As K-12 schools across America have closed their doors to help stop the spread of coronavirus, parents have had to step into the role of teacher, guiding their children through lessons in mathematics, social studies, art, English, and perhaps even…
Social Media While Social Distancing: A How-To Guide
With calls from elected and health officials to self-isolate to prevent the spread of coronavirus, more and more people are turning to social media as their primary means of entertainment and connection with friends and the outside world. But can too much social media while social distancing take a toll on your mental and even physical health? We checked in with Natalie Pennington — a UNLV communication studies professor who researches the benefits and harms of social media — to get her take on the best ways to make your online experience work for you.
Rapidly changing pandemic requires extra care in employee communication
When it comes to communicating with employees about topics like coronavirus, staying on top of a rapidly changing situation is most critical, according to Virginia Tech’s Nneka Logan. Logan is an associate professor in the department of communication, specializing in…
How communication about environmental issues can bridge the political divide
A relatively new theory that identifies universal concerns underlying human judgment could be key to helping people with opposing views on an issue coax each other to a different way of thinking, new research suggests.
BREAKING THE COMMUNICATION CODE
Ever wonder how mice talk to each other? We don’t have a dictionary quite yet, but UD neuroscientist Josh Neunuebel and his lab have linked the ultrasonic vocalizations made by mice with specific behaviors. It’s a significant advance of our understanding of communication science.