Climate Change Double Whammy Causes Unexpected Effects in Pacific Mussels

Comparative physiologists studied how two aspects of climate change—warming temperatures and increasingly acidic waters—may affect the ecologically important Pacific blue mussel (Mytilus trossulus), a foundational species in the intertidal environments of the northern Pacific Ocean.

Voices of Reason? Study Links Acoustic Correlations, Gender to Vocal Appeal

What makes a voice attractive? The question is the subject of broad interest, with far-reaching implications in our personal lives, the workplace, and society. In The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, scientists describe research that explores the interactions between gender and articulatory precision to gauge vocal attractiveness. They were surprised to find a sizable gender difference in speech intelligibility.

Student equity scholar Frances Contreras named dean of UCI School of Education

Irvine, Calif., Aug. 18, 2021 — Frances Contreras, who is widely acclaimed for her research on academic diversity and access from preschool to the Ph.D., has been appointed dean of the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine, following a nationwide search. She will assume her new role on Jan. 1, 2022. Contreras is currently associate vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as professor of education studies, at the University of California, San Diego.

Using Physics to Improve Root Canal Efficiency

In Physics of Fluids, scientists report calculations with a model of a conical-shaped root canal inside a tooth. A crucial step in this common dental procedure is irrigation, or rinsing, of the root canal cavity with an antibacterial solution, and the researchers used computational fluid dynamics to determine the effect of temperature on the cleaning efficiency: Higher temperatures can, to a point, improve cleansing, but this benefit falls off if the temperature gets too high.

Svetlana Jitomirskaya Wins 2020 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics

The American Institute of Physics and the American Physical Society announce Svetlana Jitomirskaya, from the University of California, Irvine, as the recipient of the 2020 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics. The award is given annually to recognize significant contributions to the field. Jitomirskaya is the second woman to receive this award.