1. news

Office of Research Media Report, 6/29/15-7/2/15
U.S. First In Developing Women Entrepreneurs, Lags In Women Leaders
Forbes.com
7/2/15 – Mason scholars conducted research for the Global Women Entrepreneur Leaders Scorecard. The
researchers ranked the U.S. first in entrepreneurship, but found weaknesses in the ways the U.S. develops
female leaders and networks. more
Mason Researchers Help Develop Urine-Based Lyme Disease Test
The Connection
7/1/15 – Mason officials announced in late April that Emanuel Petricoin, III, director of Mason's Center
for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine and his team of researchers, along with a local Virginia
company called Ceres Nanosciences, exposed a new way to test for the disease that uses a patient's urine.
more
Mason Professor Discusses Islam In Book
The Huffington Post
7/1/15 – Abdulaziz Sachedina, professor of Islamic Studies at Mason, in his book the "The Islamic Roots
of Democratic Pluralism," cites chapter 2 verse 213 to argue about the pluralistic vision of Islam. more
Mason Researchers To Help Develop Urine-Based TB Test
GenomeWeb
6/30/15 – Ceres Nanosciences will collaborate with TB researchers from Mason, Johns Hopkins
University, Colorado University, and Colorado State University on a urine-based tuberculosis test. more
Mason Professor On Board Of Fossil Database
Nature
6/30/15 – Mason professor Mark Uhen serves on the board of the Paleobiology Database, a resource that
details the age, location and identity of some 1.2 million fossils. more
Fraud-Savvy Investors Overlook Red Flags
Triangle Business Journal
6/30/15 – Investors who are vigilant about corporate fraud may be looking in the wrong places, according
to a study in the journal Review of Accounting Studies from researchers at N.C. State University, Mason,
the University of Virginia and the University of Cincinnati. more
United States Best Place For Women Entrepreneurs, But Could Be Better
Entrepreneur.com
6/30/15 – Mason researchers conducted research for the Global Women Entrepreneur Leaders Scorecard.
They found that United States ranks number one on the list as the best place for women entrepreneurs due
to its overall favorable business environment and women’s job mobility in the private sector, it scored a 71
on a 100-point scale. more
D.C. Region Will Have 410,380 New Households By 2023
Curbed DC
6/29/15 – A study has been released from Mason's Center for Regional Analysis that reports that the
Greater Washington area will add 410,380 households by the year 2023. more
Investors Missing Red Flags Of Fraud
Phys.org, Central Valley Business Times
6/29/15 – Researchers at Mason, North Carolina State University, the University of Virginia and the
University of Cincinnati identified the types of investors who are vigilant about corporate fraud, but found
that most of those investors are tracking the wrong red flags - meaning the warning signs they look for are
clear only after it's too late to protect their investment. more
Mason Professor On Team That Found Rare Skeleton
Fox News Latino
6/26/15 – Scientists, including Mason bioarchaeologist Haagen Klaus, unearthed a 16th century skeleton
with a rare condition—an ovarian teratoma—a tumor that can develop human features, including bones
and teeth. more
Catholic Republicans Understand Climate Change
National Geographic
6/25/15 – A review of surveys by Mason and Yale researchers found the majority of Catholic Republicans
agreed that global warming is happening. more
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Office of Research Media Report, 6/22-26/15
Mason Engineering Students Extinguish Fire With Sound
Ripleys.com
6/26/15 – Recent graduates of Mason's engineering program Seth Robertson and Viet Tran invented—
and hold a preliminary patent application for—a device that extinguishes fire with sound waves. more
Climate Change Inaction Has Dismal Consequences
Huffington Post
6/25/15 – A review of surveys by the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication and Mason found
the majority of Catholic Republicans agreed that global warming is happening. more
Most GMOs Show No Difference In Safety
New York Times
6/24/15 – An analysis of 197 studies of G.M. foods by the Genetic Literacy Project, a nonprofit
organization affiliated with Mason, found that 24 studies showed them to be safer or healthier than
ordinary foods, 11 showed them to be less safe or healthy and the rest showed no difference or produced
inconclusive results. more
Americans Underestimate Health Impact of Climate Change
ClimateProgress
6/23/15 – A national survey by Mason and Yale found that seven in 10 respondents had given the health
impact of climate change little or no thought. more
Mason Researchers Study Pennsylvania Park
CurrentInCarmel.com
6/23/15 – The National Recreation Parks Association picked Carmel as one of the 30 parks around the
country to have Mason do a comparison study. The study will focus on the Monon Community Center.
more
New Jobs In Region Will Boost Number Of Low-Income Households
Washington Post, DCist.com
6/23/15 – The Washington area is expected to gain 410,380 new households in the next eight years, but
more than a third of them will be headed by low-income earners, according to a study by Mason's Center
for Regional Analysis. more
Mason Professor Part Of Team That Found Rare Skeleton
Forbes.com
6/23/15 – Mason bioarchaeologist Haagen Klaus was part of a team that excavated the skeleton of a 16th
century female with a rare feature—an ovarian teratoma or a tumor that can develop human characteristics,
such as bones or teeth. The skeleton is only the third known example of this condition in history. more
Annuities Need Bigger Place In Retirement Planning
BenefitsPro
6/23/15 – Mark Warshawsky, a visiting scholar at Mercatus, has been testing the value proposition of
immediate annuities on and off for three decades. He found that annuities produced a higher average
income three-fifths of the time compared to the 4 percent Bengen rule. The Bengen rule holds that retirees
should draw no more than 4.2 percent from their portfolio the first year and adjust later withdrawals
according to inflation. more
Catholics Believe In Climate Change More Than Other Conservatives
Huffington Post
6/22/15 – Mason and Yale researchers report that Catholic Republicans are more likely to believe in
climate change than other conservatives. more
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Office of Research Media Report, 6/15-19/15
Millennials Chart A Different Foreign Policy Course
The Fiscal Times (New York City and Washington, D.C.)
6/19/15 – A. Trevor Thrall, an associate professor of government and international affairs at Mason,
and Erik Goepner, a retired U.S. Air Force commander who saw action in Afghanistan and Iraq report in
their study: “Millennials and U.S. Foreign Policy: The Next Generation’s Attitudes Toward Foreign
Policy,” that millennials see the world as much less threatening than their parents. They also find that
millennials are more supportive of international cooperation and less supportive of military force compared
to older generations. more
Average D.C. Wages Have Increased
Washingtonian
6/18/15 – Workers in the Washington, D.C. area enjoyed their first wage increases since 2011 last year,
says a report by researchers at Mason's Center for Regional Analysis. more
Mason Expert Offers Insights On Charleston Shooting
Newsweek (New York City)
6/18/15 – Following the Charleston shooting, Newsweek spoke to Mary Ellen O’Toole, forensic science
program director at Mason and a leading expert in psychopathy and crime scene behavior. O'Toole was
the lead author of The School Shooter: A Threat Assessment Perspective. The seminal guide to school
shootings details procedure for determining whether troubling behavior might lead to violence. more
Consensus Helps Convince Deniers Of Climate Change Truth
BuzzFeed (New York City)
6/18/15 – A Mason and Yale partnership has suggested that telling people that “97% of climate scientists
have concluded that human-caused climate change is happening” can help change minds—another
argument for the power of authority. more
Annuities Better For Retirement
Money (New York City)
6/17/15 – Research by Mark Warshawsky, a visiting scholar at Mercatus, suggests more retirees should
consider making an immediate annuity part of their retirement portfolio—and also highlights a reason why
many people may simply ignore this advice. more
Policymakers Should Revisit Certificate of Needs Programs
NewsOK (Oklahoma City)
6/17/15 – A paper from Mercatus, “Certificate-of-Need Laws: Implications for South Carolina,” shows
how CON laws—which require documentation before healthcare facilities can be built or expanded—are
counterproductive and reduce health care access. more
Pope Calls For Action On Climate Change
Latin Post (New York City)
6/16/15 – In the United States, about 70 percent of Catholics think global warming is happening, a slightly
higher percentage than for Americans as a whole, The Washington Post recalled based on a poll conducted
by Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication. more
Pope Blasts Global Warming Deniers
The Sydney Morning Herald, Santa Fe New Mexican (Sydney, Australia & Santa Fe, New Mexico)
6/16/15 – Researchers with Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication found that about 70
percent of U.S. Catholics think global warming is happening, a slightly higher percentage than for
Americans as a whole (63 percent). Francis was the most trusted individual leader on climate change,
according to the Mason poll. more
New D.C. Jobs Don't Help Economy Much
The Washington Post
6/15/15 – Stephen Fuller, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at Mason, says his research has
found that, on average, the jobs that the Washington area is adding now do not add as much value to the
gross regional economy as they once did. more
Mindfulness Might Be The New Trend For Athletes
Daily Herald (Chicago)
6/15/15 – A Mason study, published last year, built on a nascent body of research into how approaches
that emphasize mindfulness may prove more effective for athletes than traditional sports psychology. more
Boyfriends Trump Husbands In Household Chores
Yahoo! Health (Sunnyvale, CA)
6/14/15 – A Mason study found that husbands help out around the house even less than live-in boyfriends.
more
Companies That Consider Emotional & Cognitive Culture Do Better
StarTribune (Minneapolis)
6/13/15 – In 2013, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and
Mason's School of Management found that companies that considered both “emotional culture” such as
pride and connection, as well as “cognitive culture” — teamwork and results goals, for example — not
only had more satisfied employees but also better client outcomes. more
American Christians View Climate Change As Environmental Problem
Bloomberg (New York City)
6/12/15 – Research by Mason and Yale researchers shows that American Christians see climate change
first and foremost as an environmental problem. more
OP-ED: Non-Citizens Can Influence U.S. Elections
Providence Journal (Providence, Rhode Island)
6/11/15 – In 2014, a study released by three professors at Old Dominion University and Mason estimated
that 6.4 percent of noncitizens voted illegally in the 2008 presidential election and 2.2 percent voted in the
2010 midterm congressional elections. more
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Office of Research Media Report for 6/8-12/15
Sunscreen Layer On Distant Exoplanet Discovered
NDTV.com (New Delhi, India)
6/12/15 – A group of researchers that included Korey Haynes, a graduate of Mason's astronomy and
astrophysics doctoral program (2014), has detected a stratosphere, one of the primary layers of Earth's
atmosphere, on a massive and blazing-hot exoplanet. more
Mindful Athletes More Effective
The Bulletin, Bowling Green Daily News
6/11/15 – A 2014 Mason study built on research emphasizing how mindfulness may prove more effective
for athletes than traditional sports psychology. more
Why Do Financial Advisers Give Annuities A Bad Name?
The Street, PlanSponsor.com
6/10/15 – Visiting Mercatus Scholar Mark J. Warshawsky studied annuities and found that they
deserve a prominent role in a retiree's income plan. more
Israel Prize Winner Debunks Stop And Frisk Objections
The Jewish Week
6/10/15 – Mason professor of criminology David Weisburd studied stop and frisks and his work
debunked the belief that crime would move elsewhere if police focused on hot spots. Weisburd found that
“not only did crime not move around the corner, but around the corner it got better.” more
New Company Startups & Failures Have Declined
The Washington Post
6/9/15 – Mason researchers Nathan Goldschlag and Alex Tabarrok report that new company start-ups
and failures ("exits") have gradually decreased since the 1980s. more
Many Immigrants Self-Employed
Forbes.com
6/9/15 – Mason researchers found that immigrants account for 18.4 percent of all self-employed workers.
more
Slightly Dotty Older Adults Manage CPAP As Well As Next Guy
MPR (Monthly Prescribing Reference) (New York City)
6/8/15 – Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have an adherence to continuous positive
airway pressure (CPAP) that is “comparable to that of reported values in other adult populations,”
researchers, including Mason Assistant Dean, PhD program, College of Health and Human Services
Kathy Richards, reported in a presentation at SLEEP 2015. more
Mason Psychology Professor Offers Insights On Shame
HLNtv.com (New York City)
6/8/15 – Calling out Internet bullies, Mason psychology professor June Tangney writes in her 2011 book
Shame in Therapy Hour that shame is when people feel like inherently bad individuals for their actions.
more
Bridge or Tunnel?
Washingtonian
6/8/15 – To get from Dupont Circle to Woodley Park, WMATA originally proposed a bridge over Rock
Creek Park. The National Park Service requested, however, that it dig a tunnel, leaving two stations “with
agonizingly slow, albeit majestic, escalators,” as Mason history professor Zachary M. Schrag writes in
The Great Society Subway, his history of Metro. more
Police Deter Crime Via Stop-And-Frisks
Newsday
6/8/15 – David Weisburd, a distinguished professor of criminology at Mason who studied stop-and-frisk
action around high crime intersections in the New York City, suggested that stops by police had "a
significant deterrent effect on crime at that level." more
Certificate of Need Laws Limit New Entrants, Competition
MiBiz.com
6/7/15 – Mercatus researchers conclude that “40 years of evidence demonstrate that [Certificate of
Needs] programs do not achieve their intended outcomes, but rather decrease the supply and availability of
health care services by limiting entry and competition.” more
Futures Exchange Inspired By Mason Researcher
Bitcoin Magazine
6/6/15 – Mason economist Robin Hanson inspired the creation of the Policy Analysis Market, a proposed
futures exchange developed by the United States' Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
more
Wisconsin Gov. Wants To Abolish Tenure & Guide Curriculum
New York Times
6/4/15 – As Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker takes steps toward announcing his candidacy for the
Republican presidential nomination, he and leaders in Wisconsin’s Republican-held Legislature have
called for changes that would give a board largely picked by the governor far more control over tenure and
curriculum in the University of Wisconsin system. more
Elephants Lie
Vanity Fair
5/29/15 – A report from Mason's Center for Media and Public Affairs proclaims that the Republican
Party is much more dishonest than the Democratic Party. more
###
Office of Research Media Report for 6/1-5/15
White House Recommends Use-of-Force Guidelines
Boston Globe
6/5/15 – A White House task force co-chaired by Mason professor of criminology Laurie O.
Robinson released a report last month emphasized that police departments should have comprehensive
policies and training on the use of force. The task force specifically recommended that such “policies must
be clear, concise, and openly available for public inspection.” more
Bank Industry Shrunk After Dodd-Frank
Alaska Journal of Commerce
6/4/15 – The number of small banks in the U.S. dropped 14 percent after Dodd-Frank was enacted in 2010,
according to Mason researchers. more
Few Americans Reject Climate Change
Boulder Weekly
6/4/15 – Researchers with Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication report that only 18
percent of Americans don’t believe in climate change. more
Lyme Test Offers Improved Accuracy, Faster Diagnosis
Leesburg Today
6/4/15 – Mason researchers developed a diagnostic “nanotrap” test that traps the bacteria that causes
Lyme, allowing earlier and more accurate detection. The test is expected to be commercially available
soon through Ceres Nanosciences, Inc. more
Stages of Genocide
Jewish Journal
6/4/15 – Mason’s Gregory Stanton, professor of genocide studies and prevention and founder of
Genocide Watch created the defining list of the stages of genocide in 1996: classification, symbolization,
discrimination, dehumanization, organization, polarization, preparation, persecution, extermination and
denial. more
Non-Citizens Can Influence Elections
Investor's Business Daily, The Daily Signal
6/4/15 – A study by Old Dominion University and Mason researchers showed that 14.8% of noncitizens
were registered to vote in 2008 and 15.6% were registered in 2010. more
Mechanization Leads To New Human Skills
Forbes.com
6/4/15 – Philip Auerswald, associate professor of public policy at Mason and author of The Coming
Prosperity (2012), points out that when machines replace one kind of human capability – as they did in
occupations from serf to secretary – new human experiences and capabilities emerge. more
Mercatus Dramatically Disputes Government Debt Figures
Worthy News
6/4/15 – U.S. government debt stands at $210 trillion, not the official $13.1 trillion, according to a working
paper published by Mercatus. That's equivalent to $654,205 per person in the United States and 16 times
higher than the current official level. more
Limiting Hospital Beds Hurts Poor
Somewhat Reasonable
6/3/15 –Thomas Stratmann and Jacob Russ at Mercatus report that restrictions on hospital operations
hurt the poor, and there is “no relationship between CON (Certificate of Need) regulations and increased
access to health care.” more
Stop & Frisk Policies Cost Police Legitimacy
KU Today
6/3/15 – Mason and University of Kansas researchers report that police stop-and-frisks target racial
minorities and dramatically influence people's perception of police officers. more
Mason Scholars & D.C. Officials To Study African Immigrants’ Contributions
Voice of America, Big News Network.com
6/3/15 – The Washington, D.C. Mayor’s Office on African Affairs and Mason’s Institute for
Immigration Research will study the economic and social impact of Washington’s large African
immigrant population. This fall’s survey will focus on age, employment, education, housing and the
cultural diversity of D.C.’s African-born residents. more
Mindfulness Affects Athlete Performance
The Washington Post
6/2/15 – A Mason study reported that interventions that emphasize mindfulness may be more effective
than traditional sports psychology. more
Sharing Economy Making Regulations Obsolete
Watchdog.org
6/2/15 – A Mercatus report shows that sharing information through the Internet and real-time reputational
feedback mechanisms provides buyers and sellers information more efficiently than bureaucratic action.
more
Worker-Retiree Ratio Changing
The Roanoke Star
6/2/15 – Mercatus estimates that there were just 2.9 workers for each Social Security retiree in 2012. By
comparison, there were 41 workers per retiree in 1945. By 2030, there will be just 2 workers per retiree.
more
Small Business Neglected by Export-Import Bank
The Daily Signal
6/2/15 – The Heritage Foundation and Mercatus found that small businesses receive less than 20 percent
of the Export-Import Bank's financing. more
Lower Gas Prices Bring Savings For Families
GSA Business
6/1/15 –Mercatus professor of economics Bruce Yandle reports that lower gasoline prices provide an
average $750 annual savings for a typical family. Yandle’s report, The Economic Situation, showed higher
gas consumption and increased spending on outside meals. Yandle reported that Americans are spending
equally on eating out and groceries. more
Few Discuss Climate Change With Peers
National Catholic Reporter
6/1/15 – Only four percent of Americans discuss climate change with their peers weekly, while 19 percent
hear about it in the media, according to a Yale and Mason research study. more
LGBT Teens More Likely To Get Pregnant Than Others
Metro (UK), Advocate.com
6/1/15 –Lisa Lindley, professor of global and community health at Mason, researched the sexual
orientation of 9,703 New York students – analyzing their sexual identity and the gender of sexual partners.
The study found that lesbian, gay and bisexual high school students have a higher rate of pregnancy than
their heterosexual peers. more
Ohio Ranked 7th For Fiscal Condition
LimaOhio.com
6/1/15 – Mercatus ranks all 50 states by their fiscal condition, something highly affected by quality of
governance. Ohio is ranked at No. 7. more
Maryland’s Liability Laws Squeeze Freedom
The Frederick News-Post
5/31/15 – Mercatus ranks Maryland 44th in the impact to personal freedom caused by its liability system,
property rights, health insurance and labor market regulations. more
Certificate of Needs Law Impedes Health Care Access
WIN 98.5 (Battle Creek, MI)
5/29/15 – A Mason study of Michigan's Certificate of Need law—requiring documentation that additional
facilities are necessary to meet community needs—reduces available health care by creating more
restrictions and regulations than the national average. more
States That Separate Tax & Spending Spend Less
Honolulu Civil Beat
5/13/15 – A Mercatus study has found that states with separate taxing and spending committees spend less
per capita than other states. more
###
Office of Research Media Report For 5/25-29/15
Bob Woodward & Co-Author Stretched Truth
CounterPunch
5/29/15 – Mason School of Law Professor Ross E. Davies makes clear in his paper, A TALL TALE OF
THE BRETHREN, that journalist Bob Woodward and co-author Scott Armstrong went out of their way to
sully the legacy of Justice Blackmun via a silly anecdote about baseball while making unrepentant
segregationist Justice Rehnquist seem admirable. more
Deforestation is Devastating
onEarth
5/28/15 – A study by a team of researchers that included Mason professor of environmental science and
policy Thomas E. Lovejoy shows that forest fragmentation doesn’t just diminish wooded areas—it also
weakens the forest’s remaining ecosystems that were supposedly left intact. more
Disbanding The Iraqi Army Fueled ISIS
Time
5/28/15 – James Pfiffner, Mason professor of public policy, wrote in the professional journal
Intelligence and National Security that President Bush acknowledged the importance of the army to Iraq's
internal and external security. more
Live Anthrax Spores Shipped by Mistake
New York Times
5/27/15 – The Pentagon said Wednesday that it had inadvertently shipped live anthrax spores to as many as
nine laboratories and was investigating how that happened. more
Wildlife Crime
Ecorazzi
5/27/15 – Louise Shelley, director of Mason's Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption
Center, wrote a book on crime, corruption and terrorism called Dirty Entanglements and is now working
on a book about illicit wildlife crime. more
Corporate Welfare
Cato Institute
5/27/15 – Mason professor of economics James Bennett’s new book, Corporate Welfare: Crony
Capitalism That Enriches the Rich, opens with a discussion of corporate welfare in the Early Republic, and
then provides four case studies on more recent issues. more
Small Banks Shrink After Dodd-Frank
The Durango Herald, Bristol (TN) Herald Courier, Minneapolis Star Tribune
5/27/15 – The number of small banks in the U.S. dropped 14 percent after Dodd-Frank was enacted in
2010, according to Mason researchers. more
University of Minnesota Medical Research
New York Times
5/26/15 – Medical ethics professor writes of problems plaguing academic research. more
Rentals Boost National Economy
American Coin-Op
5/26/15 – Research by Stephen S. Fuller, director of Mason's Center for Regional Analysis, shows that
the apartment industry and its 36 million residents contributed $1.3 trillion to the U.S. economy and
supported 12.3 million jobs in 2013. more
Bail Decision Scrutinized
Times Argus (Montpelier)
5/24/15 – The Vermont Supreme Court overturned a trial court bail decision this month. The court’s
decision granted Christopher Sullivan, convicted of killing an elderly pedestrian in a drunken hit-and-run, a
bond of $50,000 instead of $500,000 bail. According to a Mason study, “The bondsman asks defendants
for collateral and family co-signors, which is not done under appearance bond scenarios. If hardened
criminals do not fear the law, they may fear their mom’s wrath should the bond be forfeited and the
bondsman takes possession of their mom’s home.” more
Corporate Tax Breaks Don’t Help the Public
LaCrosse Tribune (Wisconsin)
5/24/15 – Mason researchers studied economic development efforts across the country and found
precious little bang for the public buck. more
###
Office of Research Media Report, 5/18-22/15
Opinion: How Police Came To Look Like Soldiers
The Detroit News
5/22/15 – Mason Harper professor of economics Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail R. Hall,
Mercatus JIN Fellow in economics, write that police militarization can be traced primarily to two
policies: the war on drugs and the war on terror. more
Pregnancy Rates Rise Among LGBT Teens
Cosmopolitan.com, Bustle.com, Queerty, Gay Star News, Advocate.com, Highly Cited, NY Daily News
5/21/15 – Mason researchers report that students who sleep with both males and females are getting
pregnant more often than their heterosexual peers. more
Public Companies’ Criminal Settlements Swell
The Hill
5/20/15 – Researchers from Mason’s Law & Economics Center report settlements with public
companies more than doubled annually between 1997 and 2011. The U.S. Department of Justice entered
into 368 agreements with public companies to resolve criminal charges out of court from 2007-20011
alone. more
Cruz Staffer Cites Mercatus Tax Study
Austin American Statesman
5/20/15 – A staffer for presidential candidate Ted Cruz (R-TX) said the senator referenced a May 2013
study by Mercatus that stated the annual hidden costs of U.S. tax compliance ranged from $215 billion
to $987 billion. more
Loans, Taxes and Regs Irk Small Business
NewsOK
5/20/15 – The number of small banks in the U.S. dropped 14 percent after Dodd-Frank was enacted in
2010, according Mason researchers. more
Calculating Terrorist Bounties
Government Executive
5/19/15 – In a post last week on Marginal Revolution, Mason economics professor Alex Tabarrok
noted that his research on bounties in the U.S. criminal-justice context had convinced him that bounty
hunters are “an effective part of the American justice system.” more
Women on Money
Newsweek
5/19/15 – Mason history professor Michael O'Malley, author of Face Value: The Entwined Histories
of Money and Race in America, suggested the current effort to put a woman on U.S. paper currency
might undermine confidence in the currency. more
West Virginia's Fiscal Challenges
Charleston Gazette
5/15/15 – Mercatus senior research fellow Eileen Norcross ranks West Virginia’s fiscal condition 43rd
among states. more
###
Office of Research Media Report, 5/11-15/15
Pregnancies Among Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Youths
Philly Voice, Business Insider
5/15/15 –Lesbian, gay, bisexual youths are twice as likely as their heterosexual counterparts to become
pregnant, according to a study of New York City high school students conducted in part by Mason
researcher Lisa Lindley. more
Stepping Up The Fight Against Lyme Disease
Fairfax Times, Loudoun Times
5/13/15 – A new Lyme disease test that uses technology developed by researchers with Mason's
Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine and Ceres Nanosciences is in the clinical
phase at Internal Medicine of Northern Virginia in Reston. more
Cruz Staffer Cites Mercatus Study On Tax Compliance
The Washington Post
5/12/15 – Rick Tyler, a campaign spokesman for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz (R-TX),
cited a 2013 Mercatus study to support Cruz's argument that federal tax compliance is too expensive.
more
Does Diversity Enhance Success?
Davidson Journal
5/11/15 – Eden King, associate professor of psychology at Mason and Davidson University
associate professor of psychology Scott Tonidandel, will explore group diversity “fault lines” and their
patterns for an NSF-Funded study, titled “When Team Diversity Facilitates Performance:
Understanding and Overcoming Fractured Behavioral Patterns.” more
Shedding Light On Islam, Past and Present
University of Denver Magazine
5/11/15 – University of Denver professor Andrea Stanton and Mason senior research associate
Susan Douglass with the Center for Global Islamic Studies will host a three-week summer institute
in July at the University of Denver for middle and high school teachers titled “Teaching Connected
Histories of the Mediterranean.” more
D.C. Population Flatlines; Cost Of Living Remains High
GW Hatchet
5/10/15 – The population leaving metro D.C. is outpacing new arrivals for the first time in the last four
years of available data, according to a report by Mason's Center for Regional Analysis. more
Export-Import Bank Has Got To Go
mySA.com
5/9/15 – American businesses suffer cumulative losses of $2.8 billion per year thanks to the ExportImport bank, according to research by Mercatus. more
Transit Critical for Northern Virginia
Loudoun Times
5/9/15 – Investment in transit is good for business in Northern Virginia, according to a report by
Mason's Center for Regional Analysis. more
Eliminate Child Tax Credit
The Hill
5/8/15 – A Mercatus study suggests slashing tax rates and eliminating the child tax credit,
underscoring a growing divide among Republicans on economic policy. more
Arizona Town Mounts Dozens Of New License-Plate Readers In Fake Cactuses
Ars Technica
5/8/15 – The proliferation of LPRs isn’t new; a 2010 presentation by Mason researchers showed
license plate readers were being hidden in ladders and even taxis. more
TGen Strikes Pact With Mason
AZCentral
5/6/15 – The Translational Genomics Research Institute struck a pact with Mason to pursue joint
research and treatments in areas such as breast cancer, melanoma and traumatic brain injury. more
Center for History and New Media Launches Online Resource
County 10
5/4/15 – Mason's Center for History and New Media and the National History Day organization are
developing resources that will assist educators in teaching World War II with Lander (Wyoming)
Middle School teacher Gayla Hammer. more
Hair Spa Pampers and Rejuvenates
Times of India
5/4/15 – A workplace study conducted by Florida State University and Mason found spa therapy
reduced both absenteeism and hospitalization. more
Pennsylvania Pensions Ailing
The Daily Collegian
5/1/15 – Mercatus researchers report that by 2030 the probability that the Pennsylvania pension plan
will be able to meet its obligations without additional contributions is low for both the Public School
Employees’ Retirement System and the Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System. more
###
Office of Research Media Report, 5/4-8/15
Gut Microbiome Startup Seeks Study Volunteers
Inside NOVA
5/7/15 – ISOThrive—a company that makes products to improve the digestive system microbiome—
and Mason researchers are now recruiting individual testers to evaluate the effect of a new prebiotic
nutritional supplement on nutrition and gut health in humans. more
Weathercasters No Longer Climate Deniers
ClimateProgress
5/7/15 – Researchers at Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication conducted a survey of
weathercasters in 2010 and found that the forecasters underestimate the number of climate scientists
who view climate change as real and human-caused. more
Cyber Security Bill – Data Tsunami With Chihuahua Protection
The Hill
5/7/15 – The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 is unlikely to prevent cyber attacks and
might infringe on individual privacy, but this would be nothing new. A Mercatus study found the
federal government operates at least 20 information-sharing offices that collaborate with the private
sector on cybersecurity. more
Bill Clinton Takes the Brunt of Leno Jokes
Salon
5/6/15 – Mason researchers report that late night host joked most often about former U. S. president
Bill Clinton. more
Small Banks Help Borrowers Big Banks Turn Away
American Banker
5/6/15 – A Mercatus study found that smaller banks' ability “to gather and consider ‘soft information’
enables them to lend to borrowers that might not be able to get loans from larger institutions that rely
more on standardized lending criteria.” more
Big Data On The Economy
The Wall Street Journal
5/6/15 – Researchers believe matching information about truck shipments with data about the
movement of the vehicles can provide information about rapid changes in the economy. Logistics
technology company Fleetmatics teamed with University Professor Stephen Fuller, School of
Policy, Government and International affairs, to analyze 74 billion data points, and found the
numbers reliable economic indicators. more
African American Mayors Improve Job Prospects
The Boston Globe
5/5/15 – Mason researchers reported in 2014 that having an African-American mayor makes a
difference in the job prospects of black residents. more
Mason Awarded $125,000 to Fight Lyme Disease
Hudson Valley News Network
5/1/15 – Virginia Delegate David Ramadan (R-87th) won funds to include a Mason-developed Lyme
disease test in Virginia’s 2015-2016 budget. Mason's Center for Applied Proteomics and
Molecular Medicine (CAPMM) will receive $125,000 to rollout the Nanotrap® based Lyme Antigen
Test, developed jointly with Ceres Nanosciences. more
###
Office of Research Media Report for 4/27-5/1/15
Non-Citizens Voted in 2008 Presidential Election
National Review
4/30/15 – Approximately 6.4 percent of non-citizens in the U.S. voted in the 2008 presidential election
according to a study by Mason and Old Dominion University researchers. more
Compassion Good For Business
The Huffington Post
4/29/15 – Researchers at Mason's School of Business and University of Pennsylvania Wharton
School of Business report that creating an emotionally positive work culture helps both customers and
employees. more
Researchers Launch First Trial of Standard vs. Molecular Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer
Health Canal
4/29/15 – Emanuel F. Petricoin, III, co-director of Mason's Center for Applied Proteomics and
Molecular Medicine, will serve as a major scientific contributor to an upcoming study designed to
determine whether molecularly tailored treatment for pancreatic cancer improves survival compared
with the current standard of care. more
Lackluster D.C. Economy Hurts Local Universities
GW Hatchet
4/28/15 – Mason professor Stephen S. Fuller reported that students are less likely to pursue degrees
in a city with a struggling economy because it creates a more competitive job market for graduates.
more
Wish You Could Banish Self-Doubt?
Huffington Post
4/27/15 – Mason emeritus professor of psychology James E. Maddux has found acknowledging our
self-doubts and taking small steps that lead to small successes is an effective way to build our
confidence and shift our beliefs about what we're capable of doing. more
Dulles Airport At A Crossroads
Fairfax Times
4/27/15 – Stephen Fuller, an economist at Mason, said the region surrounding Dulles must transition
from a “company town to a global business center,” with the airport serving as a catalyst for that
growth. more
Coin Center Issues Flexible Template For Bitcoin Regulation
Bitcoin Magazine
4/27/15 – Mason professor of Law Jerry Brito, co-authored a report: “Bitcoin: A Primer for
Policymakers.” more
Editorial: Keep Lowry Park Zoo On Track
The Tampa Tribune
4/27/15 – A study by the George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis calculated that
Tampa's Lowry Park zoo had a $50.3 million economic impact on the region. more
Brilliant Economists Fail Econ 101
Uncommon Wisdom Daily, New York Times
4/27/15 – If economists are so sure about the benefits of free trade, why are the public and their elected
representatives often skeptical? One answer comes from a 2007 book by Mason associate professor
of economics Bryan Caplan called “The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad
Policies.” more
Heavy Regulation Hurts Small Businesses, But Larger Ones Adapt
Newsmax
4/24/15 – Bank regulation has mushroomed since the 2008-09 financial crisis, and that's not all for the
good, says Hester Peirce, a senior research fellow at George Mason University. more
###
Office of Research Media Report for 04/20-24/15
Doctors See Connections Between Climate and Health
Miami Herald
4/23/15 – According to a survey conducted last year by Mason and the National Medical Association,
88 percent of doctors said that climate change is relevant to patient care and 61 percent say that climate
change is already having moderate to severe effects on their patients. more
Bank Regulation Hurts Economy
Newsmax
4/23/15 – Bank regulation has mushroomed since the 2008-09 financial crisis, but that's not all for the
good, says Hester Peirce, a senior research fellow at Mercatus. more
Weathercasters Accept Climate Change
Media Matters for America
4/23/15 – Mason researchers reported that more than nine out of ten broadcast meteorologists
acknowledge that climate change is happening, and about two-thirds say human activities play a
significant role. more
Cannabis For Epilepsy
Huffington Post
4/22/15 –A video, produced by Learn Liberty at the Institute for Humane Studies at Mason and
sponsored by Drug Policy Alliance, tells the story of a 7-year-old girl with uncontrolled epilepsy so
severe that current medicines cannot help her. more
Weathercasters See The Light On Climate Change
Pacific Standard
4/22/15 – Mason researchers surveyed 464 broadcast meteorologists and reported that more than 90
percent of the respondents concluded that climate change is real. And 90 percent of those surveyed
believe human activity is partly responsible for this phenomenon. more
PTSD Researchers Seek Male Military Spouses
Army Times
4/21/15 – Mason researchers hope a study examining the effects of post-traumatic stress on soldiers'
home lives will help the Army assist all types of military families. more
Maybe Climate Science News Makes A Difference?
ArsTechnica
4/21/15 – Mason researcher Teresa Myers, along with scholars from Michigan and Ohio State
studied people who read more science news to determine what they think about climate science. more
Interactive Map Reveals Changing Climate Opinions
Daily Mail
4/21/15 – Yale researchers created an interactive map using data collected by Mason researchers and
report that only about 60 percent of Americans believe climate change is happening and is humancaused. more
Mason Students Use Sound Waves To Extinguish Fires
DOGO News
4/21/15 –Mason engineering students Viet Tran and Seth Robertson invented a device that uses
sound waves to extinguish fires. more
Bill Proposing Certificate of Needs Exemptions Sparks Debate
Winston-Salem Journal
4/21/15 – A Mason study cast a shadow on the effectiveness of North Carolina’s Certificate of Needs
regulations—rules that require legal documentation before new healthcare facilities are established—
and listed the state as the third most restrictive of all states with such regulations. more
A Wasteful Bureaucratic Habit
The Post & Courier
4/21/15 – Two studies from Mason and the National Bureau of Economic Research show that many
federal agencies spend a large portion of their annual budgets in the last month of the fiscal year. more
Growth Slowing In Northern Virginia
The Washington Post
4/20/15 – According to a Mason study, federal spending in the area was $11 billion less last year than
in 2010. more
Apartment Construction Booms Nationwide
Fox News
4/20/15 – The apartment industry contributed $1.3 trillion and more than 12 million jobs to the U.S.
economy in 2013, according to a recent study conducted by economist Stephen S. Fuller of Mason's
Center for Regional Analysis for the National Multifamily Housing Council and the National
Apartment Association. more
Solar Investment Tax Credit May Vanish
Forbes.com
4/15/15 – Mercatus just released its white paper: "Best Practices in Managing the Investment Tax
Credit Expiration,” and provided some interesting insight into what may happen in the coming years
absent an extension of the ITC from Congress. more
How Native Americans Shaped Washington, D.C.
Time
4/1/15 – Mason History professor C. Joseph Genetin-Pilawa wrote about his book “The Indians’
Capital City: ‘Secret’ Native Histories of Washington, D.C.” in Time Magazine. His book explores the
way Native American culture was overrun by the dominant European culture as Washington, D.C.
developed. He questions the idea that the two cultures must be mutually exclusive. more
###
Office of Research Media Report for 4/13-17/15
Will Pennsylvania Pensions Survive?
The Reporter
4/17/15 – Pennsylvania’s public sector pension plans may not be able to pay for their promises and could run
dry before the end of the next decade, according to Mercatus researchers. more
Use-It-Or-Lose-It Federal Spending Is Real
The Washington Post
4/17/15 – A recent study by Mercatus provides evidence that use-it-or-lose-it federal spending may be a real
thing. more
Ships Dock, Sales Rise
GPS World Magazine
4/16/15 – Fleetmatics has released the second edition of its FleetBeat Report, an in-depth analysis of tens of
billions of data points extracted from thousands of commercial fleets managed using the company’s Software
as a service (SaaS) platform over a span of four years. The report, “FleetBeat, Vol. 2: The Economy in
Motion,” was co-authored by Stephen Fuller, professor and director of the Center for Regional Analysis
at Mason.
UW Team Completes Large-Scale Proteomic Analysis Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer
GenomeWeb
4/16/15 – Researchers at the University of Washington have completed an in-depth proteomic analysis of
triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) that builds on research—a study by the Side-Out Foundation—that used
protein arrays run by Mason researchers Emanuel Petricoin and Lance Liotta for its proteomic analyses
reverse phase. more
Will PA Pensions Last aDecade?
The Mercury (Pottstown, Pennsylvania)
4/16/15 – Mercatus researchers reported that two Pennsylvania public sector pension plans could run out of
money before the end of the next decade.more
Mason Researchers Find Politifact Favors Democrats
The Emory Wheel
4/16/15 – Mason researchers conducted a study of truth-value assessments made by the political factchecking site PolitiFact of 100 total claims made by Republicans and Democrats in 2012 between Jan. 20 and
May 22. The study found that PolitiFact reported Republican claims were false three times as often as
Democratic claims. more
NC Hospitals Fight Open Medical Markets
The Charlotte Observer
4/16/15 – A recent study that says North Carolina has one of the nation’s most restrictive Certificate of Needs
(CON) programs. That study, by Mercatus researchers, concludes that such laws “decrease the supply and
availability of health care services by limiting entry and competition.” more
Mason Studies Medicare and Medicaid
InsuranceNews.net
4/16/15 – Mason researchers reported that "Increasing use of global payment strategies is not likely to lead
to lower quality," in a recent Medicare/Medicaid study. more
Obamacare Incentives Bolster Part-Time Positions
WORLD Radio
4/15/15 – A new study by Mason researchers shows Obamacare is creating incentives to put workers in part
time jobs. more
Shipping Performance Is A Leading Economic Indicator
Commercial Carrier Journal
4/15/15 – Government and business leaders often use less-than-timely data to make decisions, but could use
telematics systems—which collect metrics—and have better information to use in decision-making situations,
according to a recent study by Fleetmatics. To conduct the study, Fleetmatics partnered with Stephen Fuller,
director of Mason's Center for Regional Analysis. more
State Government Becoming Affordable
Tallahassee Democrat
4/15/15 – As some state governments grow, many strain to pay past commitments, Florida stands out for its
fiscal responsibility. A Mercatus study shows how remarkable this is. more
Broadcast Meteorologists Acknowledge Climate Change
The Washington Post, Minnesota Public Radio News
4/14/15 – More than 90 percent of 464 broadcast meteorologists who responded to a 2015 survey by
researchers with Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication agree that climate change is
happening. Of those, 74 percent believe human activity is at least half responsible. more
Why Young People Aren't Getting Married
Mic.com
4/14/15 – Among several reasons for a declining marriage rate, a 2007 Mason study showed that married
men do less housework after marriage. Boyfriends outdoing husbands on housework may give women pause.
more
Federal Crop Insurance Bloats Costs, Plays Favorites
CaliforniaWatchdog.org
4/14/15 –A Mercatus study finds that federal subsidies cost Americans more than they might pay in higher
food prices. more
Republican Vows To Fight Climate Stasis
E&E Publishing, LLC
4/14/15 – Bob Inglis, former South Carolina congressman, and founder of Mason’s Energy &
Enterprise Initiative, a think tank for energy and climate change solutions, sees a painful irony in his
selection as the 2015 recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. more
GreyMatters App Helps Families Connect With Dementia Sufferers
The Huffington Post
4/13/15 – Getting patients to sing along with songs, offer significant benefits for cognitive function,
according to a 2013 study co-authored by Mason psychology professor Jane M. Flinn. more
Singing App Slows Dementia & Alzheimer’s
KPIX (TV CBS San Francisco)
4/13/15 – Researchers at Mason and the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego had amazing results when
patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s sang show tunes like “The Sound of Music,” “When You Wish Upon
A Star,” and “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” more
Show Tunes Sharpen The Mind
PeninsulaDailyNews.com
4/12/15 – Mason researchers reported in a 2013 study that singing Broadway show tunes can enhance brain
health. more
###
Office of Research Media Report for 4/6-10/15
The Costly Lie Called Corporate Income Tax
The American Spectator
4/10/15 – A 2013 study by Mercatus found that “Americans face up to $1 trillion annually in
hidden tax-compliance costs.” more
Reformers See Hope In City's Swift Response To Scott Shooting
NBC News
4/9/15 – Mason professor of Criminology Laurie Robinson is the co-chair of President Barack
Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Last month, that panel proposed a set of sweeping
reforms aimed at rebuilding trust between cops and the public. more
Ted Cruz Blasts Reporters For Fact Check Articles
The Blaze
4/9/15 – In 2013, Mason's Center for Media and Public Affairs found that one fact checker,
PolitiFact, run by the Tampa Bay Times, accused Republicans of lying three times as often as it
accused Democrats of lying. more
Kill Export-Import Bank
Waco-Trib.com
4/9/15 – Overall, American businesses suffer cumulative losses of $2.8 billion per year thanks to
the Export-Import bank—the nation's export credit agency—according to Mercatus researchers.
more
Public Views Vary On Climate Change Based On Science, Political News Platforms
Science Blog
4/8/15 – Mason researcher Teresa Myers and scholars from Ohio State and the University of
Michigan report that paying attention to science news reports on climate change increases
knowledge for both conservatives and liberals. Attention to science news also raises conservative
perceptions of harm closer to what liberals believe. more
How Do You Get Away With Murder?
The Week
4/8/15 – In 2012, Mary Ellen O'Toole, now program director of Mason's forensic science
department, wrote a short article for Psychology Today in which she detailed the ways she has
seen criminals — especially psychopaths — get away with these crimes. more
Study Highlights Opportunities For Law Enforcement Mobile Applications
Fierce Mobile Government
4/8/15 – A study by Travis Taniguchi of the Police Foundation and Charlotte Gill, deputy
director of Mason's Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, found that three mobile
applications custom-developed for commercial smartphones for law enforcement use were not
adopted, did not provide new capabilities and did not help information dissemination. more
Americans Believe Climate Change Is Real But Are Confused About Details
E&E Publishing
4/7/15 –The majority of Americans believe climate change is real and are worried about its effects,
but fewer than half think it is primarily caused by human activity. The study corresponds to an
interactive map by the Yale research group -- a compilation of 13 surveys by the Yale team and
Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication conducted between 2008 and 2014. more
Map Reveals How America Feels About Climate Change
The Silver Ink
4/7/15 – Climate Communication Project of Yale and Mason's Center for Climate Change
Communication jointly performed 12 surveys from 2008 to 2013. The researchers found that
people of Washington D.C are more worried about global warming and its consequences than
residents of other states. more
Report Compares Global Warming Reactions Across The United States
Pioneer News, Highly Cited
4/7/15 –Yale researchers reported that how people react to conversations about global warming
largely depends upon where they live. The study designated seven maps from information gleaned
through 12 surveys conducted between the years 2008 and 2013 by the Yale Project on Climate
Communication and Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication. more
Christians: Unite Behind Your Economic Clout
The Patriot Post
4/7/15 – George Mason University Foundation law professor David Bernstein explains in his
book, “You Can’t Say That,” that public accommodation laws have been vastly expanded to the
point where they threaten the autonomy of private organizations. more
How Aware Are Americans Of Global Warming?
Morning Ledger (Austin, Texas)
4/6/15 – Researchers at Yale and Utah University created an interactive map depicting what
Americans think about climate change and global warming. The researchers used data collected by
scholars with the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication and Mason's Center for
Climate Change Communication. more
Restoring Lost Data: 3-D Digital Laser Microscopy Creates Visual Roadmap
Scientific Computing
4/6/15 –A multi-institution research team that included James Jones, professor of computer
forensics at Mason, theorized that using three-dimensional digital laser microscopy to capture 3-D
image of the disc could provide a visual roadmap of the data. This and a special computer
algorithm capable of recognizing its patterns then could aid in recovering the vast majority of it.
more
Global Warming Beliefs Vary Depending on Where You Live
HNGN
4/6/15 – Researchers at Yale have released an interactive map showing differences in
public perception about global warming. To create the map, the researchers used data
collected via 12 surveys by scholars with Mason's Center for Climate Change
2
Communication and the Yale Project on Climate Communication. more
3
Your Beliefs on Global Warming May Depend on Where You're From
Mashable
4/6/15 – Researchers at Mason, Ohio State and the University of Michigan reported that climate
change beliefs might depend on a person's geographic location. more
In Officer-Involved Shootings, Chiefs Mull Asking For Outside Help
Virginian-Pilot
4/6/15 – Mason Professor of Criminology Laurie Robinson is co-chairwoman of the President's
Task Force on 21st Century Policing. The group produced an interim report this year that calls for
external and independent criminal investigations of officer-involved shootings. more
These States Are Least Concerned About Climate Change
CBS News
4/6/15 –Yale and Utah State University researchers reported that a majority of Americans believe
that climate change is real and that action should be taken to reduce carbon emissions. The
researchers produced public opinion estimates using a statistical model based on data gathered by
Yale and Mason researchers. more
Washington, New York, California Fear Climate Change, Other States Unconcerned
Yibada.com
4/6/15 – Washington, D.C. is more fearful of the damages that climate change could present, more
than any other American state, following the findings of the interactive map of Yale University
researchers based on data collected by Yale and Mason researchers. more
Climate Change In The American Christian Mind
LivingOnTheRealWorld.com
4/5/15 –Yale and Mason scholars report that climate change beliefs vary across religious
denominations, with 69 percent of Catholics believing climate change is happening and 51 percent
of evangelicals believing the same. more
Laws May Be Limiting Medical Care In Georgia
Newnan Times-Herald
4/5/15 –A recent study conducted by Mercatus scholars finds that Georgia’s Certificate of Needs
rules are the 18th most restrictive in the nation. more
George Mason Students Invent Sound Wave Fire Extinguisher
4/4/15
National Public Radio — Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me
During this news based comedy show, the participants mentioned that two George Mason students
had invented a device to fight fires with sound waves, and gave details on how the device works.
Despite Laws & Lawsuits, Quota-Based Policing Continues
NPR
4/4/15 – A task force led by Mason professor Laurie Robinson concluded that numbers-based
policing sends the wrong message to the public. more
4
Why Students At The University of Washington Want To Put Their Phones Away
Huff Post College
4/3/15 – A 2013 paper from Mason professor Robert Youmans and then-University of Illinois
doctoral student Jared Ramsburg found meditation can improve test scores and focus for college
students. more
Millennials Fuel Philadelphia Apartment Boom
Philly.com
4/3/15 – A study by Mason's Stephen S. Fuller for the National Multifamily Housing Council and
the National Apartment Association showed that 544,300 people, or 9 percent of the Philadelphia
area's population, live in its 321,200 rental apartment units. more
Apartments Bring Economic Value To Arizona
AZCentral.com
4/3/15 – Investments by apartment developers added $9.9 billion to the Phoenix economy in 2013,
according to a the National Multifamily Council study and the National Apartment Association.
The data reflects the research by economist Stephen S. Fuller of Mason's Center for Regional
Analysis. more
Food Trucks Association Unveils Exchange Tool For Vendors
Associations Now
4/1/15 – Together, Mason systems engineering and operations professor Karla Hoffman and a
group of students created a program that reassigns vending spots based on the truck operators’
preferences. The newly assigned spaces are then reported to the D.C. Department of Consumer and
Regulatory Affairs, which enforces assignments. more
###
Office of Research Media Report for 3/30-4/3/15
Allen Institute for Brain Science Leads Effort to AnalyzeNeurons
News-Medical.net
3/31/15 – The Allen Institute for Brain Science is launching an international project called
BigNeuron to create reliable high-throughput and quantitative 3D reconstructions of the
thousands of branches that make up individual neurons. Mason researchers are participatingin
the partnership. more
Students Douse Flames With Low-Frequency Sound
PhysicsWorld.com
4/2/15 – Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran have built a new type of
extinguisher that uses sounds waves to put out fires. more
Great Society Congress
UDaily
4/2/15 – Mason's Roy Rosenzwieg Center for History and New Media provided theplatform
for a new collaboration that draws on primary resources to highlight legislation passed during the
89th United States Congress (1965-66). more
5
Can Technology Save Football?
New York Magazine
4/2/15 – Mason researchers are investigating a saliva biomarker that indicates concussionsin
injured athletes. more
Mason Students Invent Sound Wave Fire Extinguisher
ScienceTimes.com
4/2/15 – Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran have invented a fire
extinguisher that uses sound waves to snuff out fires. more
How Do You Get Away With Murder?
PSMag.com (Santa Barbara, CA)
4/1/15 – In 2012, Mary Ellen O'Toole, director of Mason's forensic science program, wrotea
short article for Psychology Today in which she detailed the ways she has seencriminals—
especially psychopaths—get away with murder.more
Mason Students Extinguish Fire With Sound Waves
Richmond.com
4/1/15 – Mason engineering students Viet Tran and Seth Robertson invented and built a way
to use sound waves to put out fires. more
The Irony of Automation: Why Clinicians Let Computers Make Mistakes
Medium.com
4/1/15 – Before he passed away last month, Mason psychologist Raja Parasuraman was
working on a type of computer Trust-o-Meter, in which the machine might have a green,yellow
or red light, depending on how trustworthy it thinks its result is. more
6
Jimmy Fallon Plugs Mason Students’ Fire Extinguisher
DCInno
4/1/15 – Mason got a nice shout out from Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show Tuesday whenthe
talk show host mentioned Seth Robertson and Viet Tran's invention of a thumping bass,
sound-blasting fire extinguisher. more
Jimmy Fallon Mentions Mason Students' Wave Extinguisher in Monologue
NBC.com
4/1/15 – Jimmy Fallon mentioned Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet
Tran's wave extinguisher in his monologue. more
Israel Prize In Criminological Research Awarded To Weisburd
Jerusalem Post
3/7/15 – David Weisburd, executive director of Mason's Center for Evidence-BasedCrime
Policy and a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was awarded the Israel Prize in
Social Work and Criminological Research. more
Weisburd Awarded Israel Prize
PoliceFoundation.org
(No date) – Mason professor David Weisburd, the chair of the Police Foundation Research
Advisory Committee, was awarded the Israel Prize in Social work and Criminologicalresearch.
more
Young Inventors Harness Bass To Snuff Fires
MTV.com
3/31/15 – Engineering seniors Seth Robertson and Viet Tran have taken thefire-putting-out
community by storm, creating a device that extinguishes flames with nothing other thansome
powerful bass waves. more
Fire Extinguisher Uses Sound Waves to Extinguish Fires
KULR News, NBC TV Billings, MT
3/31/15 – Firefighters may be snuffing blazes with deep-toned sound, if a new deviceinvented
by Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran catches on. more
Mason Engineering Students Extinguish Fire With Sound Waves
San Antonio Express-News
3/31/15 – Mason engineering majors Seth Robertson and Viet Tran have invented adevice
that uses sound waves to put out fires. more
Mason Students Zap Fire With Sound
The Huffington Post UK
3/31/15 – Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran have figured out howto
extinguish fire using sound waves. more
7
Mason Researchers Track Climate Change Beliefs
PSMag.com (Santa Barbara, CA)
3/31/15 – Mason researchers Edward W. Maibach and Teresa Myers found that
understanding expert consensus on climate change is a gateway belief and identified two ways to
get people to understand and accept that reality of climate change. more
Reporters Ignore Climate Change Skeptics
Heartland.org
3/31/15 – A recent study by Mason researchers published in the trade magazine Journalism
found contrarian views on the climate change are no longer welcome in many of the nation’s
newspapers. more
Students Create Sound Wave Fire Extinguisher
Inhabitat.com
3/30/15 – Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran have invented adevice
that uses sound waves to extinguish fires. more
Allocation of Ultra High Frequency Spectrum in the Americas
European Politics and Policy
3/30/15 – Research published in 2009 by Mason researchers found that, on average, Latin
American countries allocate only 100 MHz of their electromagnetic spectrum to wirelesscarriers
compared with an average of about 266 MHz in the European Union. more
Mason Engineering Students Sound Out Fires
Hip-Hop Wired
3/30/15 – Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran have invented adevice
that uses various levels of sound frequencies to extinguish flames. more
Using Sound to Fight Flames
WTVR (TV-Richmond)
3/30/15 – Firefighters may be snuffing blazes with deep-toned sound, if a new deviceinvented
by Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran catches on. more
'Acoustic' Fire Extinguisher Douses Flames
IBN Live (TV-India)
3/29/15 – Mason engineering students Viet Tran and Seth Robertson have developed a
prototype of a fire extinguisher that uses waves produced by a low-frequency sound to displace
oxygen and extinguish fire. more
Mason Engineering Students Invent Sound Wave FireExtinguisher
WTKR (TV-Hampton Roads, VA/Northeast N.C.)
3/27/15 – Firefighters may be snuffing blazes with deep-toned sound, if a new deviceinvented
by Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran catches on. more
8
Dousing Fire With Sound Waves
TheStack.com
3/27/15 – Mason engineering students Seth Robertson, 23, and Viet Tran, 28, have comeup
with a revolutionary device which uses low-frequency sound waves to extinguish fire without the
help of water, foam or other toxic, messy chemicals involved in traditional extinguishers. more
Mason Students Use Sound Waves To Fight Fire
WFTS Tampa Bay (TV)
3/27/15 – Mason engineering students Viet Tran and Seth Robertson have figured out howto
use low frequency sound waves to put out fire. more
Mason Engineering Students Extinguish Fire With Sound
TechFrag.com
3/27/15 – Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran put out fire usingan
extinguisher that generates low-frequency sound waves. more
Invention Uses Bass Sound To Put Flames Down
News4Jax (TV-Jacksonville), ClickonDetroit (TV)
3/27/15 – Firefighters may be snuffing blazes with deep-toned sound, if a new deviceinvented
by Mason students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran catches on. more
Certificates of Need Are Bad For Health Care
Nashville Business Journal
3/26/15 – Mercatus researchers released a report arguing that certificate of needrequirements
lead to reduced competition and fewer choices, without increased access to care for the poor.
more
Mason Students Extinguish Fire With Sound
WRIC (TV-Richmond)
3/26/15 – Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran say thatthey’ve
developed a new way to extinguish flames with sound waves. more
9
Office of Research Media Report for 3/23-27/15
New fire extinguisher: Bass hum booms flames out
CNN
3/27/15 – Firefighters may be snuffing blazes with deep-toned sound, if a new device invented
by Mason undergraduate engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran catches on.
more
States Debate Value of Giving Tax Credits to Hollywood
The Bellingham Herald
3/27/15 – There's growing skepticism about tax incentives to create local movie industries.
Senior Mercatus Research Fellow Matthew Mitchell said the incentives abet a mobile, fickle
business that will quickly abandon one locale for another that offers a sweeter deal. more
Sound Scientific Thinking Finds A Cleaner Way to Extinguish Fires
The Guardian
3/27/15 – It happens so quickly you almost don’t believe it: Mason students Seth Robertson
and Viet Tran ignite a fire, snap on their low-rumbling bass frequency generator and extinguish
the flames in seconds. And even after you’ve seen it over and over, it’s still unbelievable. more
Engineering students extinguish fire with sound
CNET
3/27/15 – Now, for the first time, a handheld fire extinguisher exists that uses not foam, powder
or water, but the waves produced by a low-frequency sound. The prototype extinguisherwas
developed by Mason computer engineering major Viet Tran and electrical engineering
major Seth Robertson; the pair hopes their design could revolutionize firefighting, particularly
in the home. more
New Study Finds That Youngsters' Interest in Science & Math Lifelong
Pocono Record
3/27/15 – The next generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians could be playingwith
Legos on your living room rug, and it’s their parents more than schools who are encouraging
them to pursue their dreams, according to new research by scholars in Mason's Center for
Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine. more
A Strong Welfare State Produces More Entrepreneurs
The Atlantic
3/26/15 – Mason professors created a novel measure of federal regulation in the U.S. and
compared the amount of federal regulation to the number of new business establishments in each
industry. They found a slightly positive correlation: more regulation was actually associated with
more new establishments. more
1
Unlocking the Brain, Earth's Most Complex Biological Structure
LiveScience
3/26/15 – Mason professor of molecular neuroscience James Olds is head of the U.S.
National Science Foundation's Directorate for Biological Sciences. He wrote thatneuroscientists
don't yet fully understand how the brain processes information. more
Students Extinguish Fire With Sound
Red Orbit
3/26/15 – If you’re searching for a way to put of a fire in a hurry, it probably wouldn’t occur to
you to use sound waves, but the unorthodox concept did cross the minds of Mason engineering
students who used it for their senior class project. more
Mason Students Extinguish Fire With Low-Frequency Sound Waves
Inquisitr
3/26/15 – Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran invented a revolutionary device that uses
low-frequency sound waves to extinguish fire instead of water, gas or foam. more
How To Put Out Fire Using Sound
Daily Mail
3/26/15 – Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran built a handheld device that uses sound to
extinguish flames - and the breakthrough could one day revolutionize firefighting. more
Watch Two Students Extinguish Fire With Sound
Time
3/26/15 – Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran created a fire extinguisher that operates
using sound waves. more
This Speaker Blows Out Fires Instantly With Bass
Gizmodo
3/26/15 – Engineers have experimented with using sonic waves to douse flames for years, but it
took Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran to turn the concept into an affordable, hand-held
device. more
Student Engineers Fight Fire With Sound
USA Today
3/26/15 – Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran designed a device that uses sound waves to
put out fires. more
George Mason students develop fire-fighting technology that uses sounds waves to put out
flames
MyFoxDC
3/26/15 –Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran are working on a device that uses sound
waves to put out fires. more
2
Extinguishing a fire using sounds waves is all about thatbass
Mail Tribune
3/26/15 – It happens so quickly you almost don't believe it: Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet
Tran ignite a fire, snap on their low-rumbling bass frequency generator and extinguish the
flames in seconds. And even after you've seen it over and over, it's still unbelievable. more
Engineering Students Use Sound Waves to Put Out Fires
Phys.org, Das Kraftfuttermischwerk
3/26/15 – Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran found a way to use sound waves to quash
fires. They hope their device will revolutionize firefighting technology. more
Researcher Wins Innovation Award
Fairfax Times
3/26/15 – The 2015 Greater Washington Innovator of the Year award will go to Emanuel
Petricoin, university professor, co-director, and co-founder of the Mason Center for
Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine. Petricoin is known internationally for his
pioneering research in proteomics and molecular medicine. more
Watch Two Guys Put Out A Fire With Sound
Huffington Post
3/26/15 –It may seem outlandish, but Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran saythey’ve
developed a way to extinguish fire with sound waves. more
Watch Sound Extinguish Fire
New York Magazine
3/26/15 – Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran encountered plenty of doubters when they
settled on an idea for their senior project, but ultimately successfully created a device that
extinguishes fire with sound waves. more
New Fire-Fighting Solution Uses Sound Waves to Put Out Fire
N4GM
3/26/15–Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran have a new explanation of how to put out a
fire—using a practical peace of fire-fighting technology that they invented. more
Students Design New Way to Put Out Fire Without Water
Publimetro
3/26/15 – Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran developed a way to put out fire using only
sound waves. The device they created has been called revolutionary and could help extinguish
fires more efficiently. more
Extinguishing Fire With Sound
The Columbian
3/26/15 – It happens so quickly you almost don't believe it: Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet
Tran ignite a fire, snap on their low-rumbling bass frequency generator and extinguish the
flames in seconds. Even after you've seen it repeatedly, it's still unbelievable. more
3
Veronique de Rugy on Robophobia
Reason
3/26/15 – Driverless vehicles, drones, machine learning, and other emerging technologies offer
programmable assistants able to handle mundane tasks and critical life-saving interventions
alike. Mercatus Senior Research Fellow Veronique de Rugy wrote that not everyone is
pleased about the technology and its potential uses. more
Welfare Makes America More Entrepreneurial
The Atlantic
3/26/15 – Mason professors created a novel measure of federal regulation in the U.S. and
compared the amount of federal regulation to the number of new business establishments in each
industry. They found a slightly positive correlation: more regulation was actually associated with
more new establishments. more
Watch These Two Guys Put Out A Fire Using Only Sound
Popular Mechanics
3/26/15 – Will the fire extinguisher of the future be a big speaker? It's possible. Mason
engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran show that you can use sound waves to put
out flames. more
Two Students Created A Device that Extinguishes Fire With Sound Waves
ZME Science
3/25/15 – Mason engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran designed a device that
uses sound waves to put out fires, thus potentially eliminating the need for carrying around huge
quantities of water and costly cleaning operations. more
Pension Reform Doesn't Mean Higher Taxes
Wall Street Journal
3/25/15 – Andrew Biggs, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, writes thata
recent hearing by Pennsylvania legislators about pension reform was overdue and that fears
about reform-related transition costs are unfounded. more
Online Communication Details Affect Sales
Phys.org
3/24/15 – Online word-of-mouth communication significantly affects sales. Masonresearchers
recently reported, however, on why the effect fluctuates. more
Mason Students Extinguish Fire with Sound Waves
WUSA9, FireEngineering.com
3/24/15 – Mason electrical engineering students Seth Robertson and Viet Tran invented a
device that extinguishes fire with sound waves. more
4
Researchers Discover Five New Phases of Silica
AZO Materials
3/24/15 – Researchers at Mason and the Carnegie Institution discovered five new forms of
silica that exist at room temperature and under conditions of extreme pressure. more
Documentary Focuses on Desegregation of Las Vegas Schools
Nevada Public Radio
3/24/15 – Mason professor of education Sonya Douglass Horsford narrated a documentary
about Las Vegas school integration. The program is called "School Desegregation in Southern
Nevada and will air Monday, March 30. more
Virginia Department of Education Announces Math and Science Partnership Grants
NBC29.com
3/24/15 – The Virginia Department of Education is awarding more than $1.6 million in grants to
enhance teachers' knowledge of science and math and their ability to teach the subjects. This
total includes $219, 212 for Mason officials and the Virginia Council for Private Education to
serve 120 teachers in eight school divisions. more
Legislation Limiting Certificate of Need Introduced in South Carolina
Heartlander Magazine
3/24/15 – South Carolina state Rep. Murrell Smith introduced legislation to loosen the state’s
certificate of need restrictions on the ability of health providers to build or open new health care
facilities, but Mason researchers Thomas Strattman and Jacob Russ say CON lawsincrease
healthcare costs and decrease availability. more
Engineering Students Show How to Extinguish Fire With Sound Waves
Santa Fe New Mexican
3/24/15 – Mason’s Seth Robertson and Viet Tran invented a fire extinguisher that puts out fire
using sound waves—and does so in a flash. more
City Slickers
MHN Online
3/23/15 – For decades, Americans fled cities as they aged, but new data compiled by Mason
research associate Jeanette Chapman shows the older demographic might now prefer to stay
put. more
When It Comes to Putting Out Fire, GMU Students Show It’s All About the Bass
The Washington Post
3/22/15 –Mason electrical engineering students Viet Tran and Seth Robertson invented a
device that extinguishes fire with sound. more
5
Sparking a Passion: New Study Finds Youngsters’ Interest in Science & Math Can Lasta
Lifetime
Hannibal Courier, Shawnee News-Star
3/19/15 – Mason’s Lance Liotta, co-director, Applied Proteomics & Molecular Medicine,
and fellow researchers found that families and parents are the figures who most often teach
children who are interested in science and math to follow their dreams. more
###
6
Office of Research Media Report for 3/15-19/15
Clear Opportunities for Health Care Reform
Carolina Journal Online
3/19/15 – A bipartisan bill introduced in the North Carolina House would loosen some of the
constraints of Certificate of Needs programs. Mercatus researchers noted that substantial
evidence shows that the programs do not achieve intended outcomes but rather decrease the
supply and availability of health care services by limiting entry and competition. more
Youngsters' Interest in Science Often Starts at Home
Recordnet.com
3/19/15 – Researchers with Mason's Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular
Medicine report that parents often spark children's first interest in science. more
Removing State-Based Obstacles to Affordable Healthcare
The Hill
3/19/15 –As Americans experience healthcare changes related to the Affordable Care Act,efforts
to replace it will increase, and will not be limited to the federal sphere. States can work on
repealing Certificate of Needs laws, which require states to prove that municipalities needhealth
care facilities. Mercatus researchers have found that these laws decrease healthcareavailability
and increase healthcare costs. more
Apartment Industry Added Billions to Seattle Economy in 2013
Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce
3/18/15 – A study by the National Multifamily Housing Council and the National Apartment
Association found the apartment industry contributed more than $15.5 billion to the economy
and supported 146,800 jobs. The study used data based on research by Mason economist
Stephen S. Fuller. more
Apartment Industry Boosts San Diego by Billions
NBC San Diego
3/17/15 –The San Diego metro area’s apartment industry had an $11.9 billion economicimpact
in 2013, including supporting more than 111,000 jobs, according to a recent report bytwo
industry advocacy groups. The groups based their research on work by Mason economist
Stephen S. Fuller. more
Dark Clouds Make You Happier
The Washington Post
3/17/15 –We all want to be happy, but Todd Kashdan, professor of psychology and a senior
scientist at the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being at George Mason University, and
his co-author Robert Biswas-Diener write in their new book that that isn't the right goal. more
1
Women, Be Tenacious at Work!
Poynter
3/16/15 – Women are often wary of advocating for themselves at work, but a 2010 study by
researchers at Mason and Temple University shows that those who do can reap sizable
financial rewards. more
Pittsburgh Apartment Boom Boosts Regional Economy
Pittsburgh Business Times
3/16/15 – Research by Mason economist Stephen S. Fuller shows that apartmentconstruction
contributed $177 million to the Pittsburgh economy in 2013. more
Connecticut Lawmaker Opposes Soda Tax
Milford Patch
3/15/15 – Connecticut State Representative Pam Staneski voiced an emphatic no on aproposed
sugar tax on soda earlier this month. A study by Mason researchers showed that a 20 percent
tax on soda would produce only miniscule reductions in the public's average Body Mass Index.
more
Gender Equality Report: New Uses for Big Data
Christian Science Monitor
3/9/15 – Kirk Borne, a professor in Mason's School of Physics, Astronomy and
Computational Sciences, says the technology helps make optimal decisions instead ofhoping
for the best. The story focuses on the findings of a study about gender equality. more
Mason Students Invent Device that Extinguishes Fire with Sound
247Sports, FedHealth, Safety Engineer Tumblr
2/9/15 –Mason electrical engineering senior and former Newport News wrestler Seth
Robertson and fellow electrical engineering senior Viet Tran have invented a devicethat
extinguishes fire with sound. Robertson and Tran now hold a preliminary patent applicationfor
their invention. more
2
ORED Media Report 3/9-13/15
Apartments Add $1 Trillion to the Economy
GlobeSt.com, National Mortgage Professional Magazine
3/13/15 – A study based on research by Mason economist Stephen S. Fuller shows thatthe
apartment sector has contributed more than $1.3 trillion to the economy. more
Government Cuts Hurt the Economy and Transit
WTOP.com
3/11/15 – Terry Clower, Northern Virginia Chair of Mason's School of Policy, Government
and International Affairs reported that average incomes and transit ridership both dropped as a
result of federal budget cuts. more
Johns Hopkins Awarded Grant to Evaluate Malaria Saliva Test
Outbreak News Today
3/11/15 – Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health were awarded a
$525,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to evaluate a new technology that
detects malaria parasites in saliva before people become sick. They will test Ceres' Nanotrap
technology, which was invented at Mason with funding from the National Institutes for Health.
more
Millennials Drive Apartment Growth
The Lane Report
3/11/15 – A new study conducted by Mason economist Stephen Fuller shows that apartment
construction, operations and resident spending contributed $2.2 billion and nearly 25,000 jobs to
the Louisville economy in the aftermath of the Great Recession. more
Weighing Costs of Pension Reform
Philly.com
3/10/15 – Mercatus researcher Andrew G. Biggs reports that all public employee pension
plans should be making less risky investments and that plans closed to new hires should take
only a little less risk than open plans. more
Expert Consensus Drives Global Warming Support
The Guardian
3/10/15 – A new study by social scientists at Mason, Princeton and Yale suggests that the
perception of expert consensus among experts helps people accept important concepts. more
Climate Change Worsens Respiratory Illness
Inside Climate News
3/10/15 – A survey by the American Thoracic Society—conducted in collaboration with George
Mason University researchers—found that the majority of ATS members believe climate
change is negatively affecting the health of their patients. more
1
Apartments Are Atlanta's New Best Friend
Curbed National
3/10/15 – Research by Stephen S. Fuller, of George Mason University's Center for Regional
Analysis, suggests the local apartment explosion has been a boon to Atlanta's economy,
contributing more than $15 billion in 2013 alone. more
Apartments Add Billions to Denver Economy
Denver Business Journal
3/10/15 – The Denver’s apartment industry generated $10.4 billion in economic activityin
metro Denver in 2013, according to research by Mason economist Stephen Fuller. more
Rentals Boost St. Louis Economy
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
3/10/15 –Mason economist Stephen Fuller’s study shows apartment construction contributed
$4.4 billion and nearly 44,000 jobs to the St. Louis economy in 2013. more
Why Did WSJ Use Old Data to Attack Social Security?
Los Angeles Times
3/9/15 –An op-ed in Monday's Wall Street Journal makes a devastating case against Social
Security's disability system, but on closer inspection the case isn't so clear. Mercatusscholar
Mark Warshawsky and Mason graduate student Ross A. Marchand write that social
security has veered from its original purpose of supporting the vulnerable. more
South Asia is Fundamentally Unstable
DAWN.com
3/9/15 – Nuclear competition, territorial disputes, cross-border terrorism and domestic pressures
make South Asia a fundamentally unstable region, according to Gregory Koblentz, a professor
in Mason's School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs. more
Firms Oppose SEC's Internal Enforcement Process
Pensions & Investments
3/9/15 – As the SEC moves more cases through its internal administrative court process, some of
the financial firms on the receiving end of those judgments are challenging the decisions raising
questions about due process. As criticisms and legal challenges mount, Mercatus Fellow Hester
Peirce said SEC officials need to clarify policy. more
Licensing Occupations Doesn’t Raise Quality
Tyler Morning Telegraph
3/9/15 – The strongest argument for occupation licensing — for everyone from hairdressers to
interior designers — is that it ensures quality. A new study by Mercatus researchers shows that
isn’t so. more
2
Connecticut Official Opposes Sugar Tax
Connecticut Postings, Human Events
3/9/15 –Connecticut State Representative Pam Staneski voiced an emphatic no on a proposed tax
on soda tax, and said that individuals should be free to control their diets. A study by Mason
researchers showed that a 20 percent tax on soda would reduce an obese person's Body Mass
Index from 40 to 39.98. more
Did Violent Solar Flares Jumpstart Life on Earth?
The Daily Galaxy 3/9/15 – Vladimir Airapetian, adjunct professor in Mason's School of
Physics, Astronomy and Computational Sciences, reported in a new paper that Earth andits
atmosphere may have been showered by superflares from the Sun in the distant past. more
3
ORED Media Report, 3/2-5/15
The FDA Overreaches with New Food Label
The Hill (blog)
3/5/15 – The Food and Drug Administration has proposed a new food label that requires
manufacturers to declare the added sugar content of their foods. Mercatus Research Fellow
Sherzod Abdukadirov, blogger for The Hill, writes that the proposed label assumes that
consumers cannot distinguish between soda and fruit juice. more
Governor Honors Exceptional Post-Secondary Educators
Fairfax Times
3/5/15 – McAuliffe has honored two Mason professors—Robinson Professor of Theater and
English Paul Philip D'Andrea and Lance Liotta, a professor in the School of Systems
Biology— with Outstanding Faculty Awards. more
Mercatus: Taxing Junk Food Won't Curb Obesity or Other Health Problems
Yahoo! News, U.S. News & World Report
3/5/15 – Mercatus researchers report that taxes on unhealthy food do little to change consumer
behavior but instead limit the money people have to spend on non-food items. more
Why Bad Brokers Thrive
MarketWatch
3/5/15 – Like any industry, Wall Street has some bad apples. The regulatory body that oversees
Wall Street is supposed to help identify these elements, but Mercatus Senior Research Fellow
Hester Peirce said there is no way to know if it accomplishes this goal. more
Climate Change Has Negative Impact on Human Health
Business Standard
3/4/15 – Center for Climate Change Communication researchers polled 5,500 members of
the American Thoracic Society and report that 89 percent of respondents believe climate change
is happening and 65 percent believe it is relevant to patient care. Respondents indicated that
climate change could cause more severe allergies, worsening asthma and an increase inchronic
and acute lung conditions. The survey had a 17 percent response rate. more
When It Comes to Public Trust in Science, Issues & Media Outlets Matter
Times-Herald
3/4/15 – Ohio State University researchers reported recently that, depending on the issue,
conservatives and liberals are similarly likely to distrust science. In 2011, Masonresearchers
studied media consumption habits and climate change beliefs and found politicians and media
have turned climate change into a partisan issue. more
New Report Pitches Lower Economic-Impact for Diamond Nation in Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg.com
3/3/15 – Illinois-based BKP Consulting has proffered an economic impact estimate of a
Diamond Nation amateur sports facility that is $1M less than the projection Mason economist
Stephen Fuller provided last year. more
1
Histories of the National Mall Wins Outstanding Public History Award
Mason News
3/3/15 – A George Mason University-produced website that helps visitors to the National Mall
learn more about its history has been recognized by the National Council on Public Historywith
its 2015 Outstanding Public History Project Award. Sharon Leon, director of publicprojects
for Mason's Center for History and New Media and Sheila Brennan, associate directorof
public projects for the center, will accept the award at the NCPH conference in April onbehalf
of CHNM and the project team. more
Will New Voter Demographics Move Public Opinion on Climate Change?
The Conversation
3/2/15 – Many Americans remain uninformed about climate change. A national poll conducted
by researchers at Yale and Mason found while 66 percent of respondents believe climate
change is real, fewer than half know that it is human-caused. more
Don't Believe Car-Hacking Hype
PC Magazine
3/2/15 – While cars, like most other computerized devices can be hacked, vehicles are low on the
hacking list. Damon McCoy, assistant professor of computer science at Mason, said there is
little financial incentive for hackers to target automobiles. more
Republican Pick for Congressional Budget Office Director Draws Good Reviews
GovExec.com
3/2/15 – Republican lawmakers named Keith Hall, a former Mercatus researcher, as director
of the Congressional Budget Office. more
Mason Students' Far-Out Idea Reaches Astronomical Heights
Mason News
3/2/15 – Mason graduate students Prabal Saxena and Alex Panka and Professor Michael
Summers—all of Mason's School of Physics, Astronomy and Computational Sciences—
have published a study in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The
researchers theorize that some rocky exoplanets could be tidally connected to their star and that
this relationship could give the planets a flattened appearance. more
Fierce Superflares from the Sun Zapped Infant Earth
Phys.org
3/2/15 – Vladimir Airapetian, senior astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Center and
research professor in Mason's School of Physics, Astronomy, and Computational Sciences,
has reported in a new paper that bursts of energy from the sun could have penetrated Earth's
magnetic field, bathed Earth's atmosphere and profoundly affected the development of life on
Earth. more
2
Patent Reform Could Yield Rewards
Patently-O
3/2/15 – A group of 51 scholars, including Alex Tabarrok, Director of Mason's Center for
Public Choice, have submitted a letter to Congress stating that patent litigation impedes
innovation and technological progress. more
Obama Calls for Policing Changes After Task Force Report
New York Times, EdWeek
3/2/15 – Obama called for changes to police practices following the deaths of unarmed black
men in Missouri and Staten Island. Obama also unveiled the recommendations of a task force on
police conduct—a panel led in part by Mason professor of criminology and law, Laurie O.
Robinson. more
NYPD Commissioner William Bratton: Shootings Up, Stop and Frisks Down
Newsday, Associations Now
3/1/15 – NYPD Police Commissioner William Bratton said Monday that shootings in the New
York City area were increasing, while stop and frisk situations were decreasing. Mason
professor of criminology David Weisburd and Richard Rosenfeld of the University of
Missouri-St. Louis released studies last year showing a correlation between crime and stop and
frisks. more
Certificate of Need Law Limits Medical Access, Boosts Costs
The Tribune Papers
2/27/15 – Mercatus Research Fellow Christopher Koopman has co-authored a study that
found that North Carolina has fewer hospital beds and restrains psychiatric services because of a
regulatory process that protects some health care providers. more
Mason Physicist Works with NASA to Study the Atmosphere of Mars
Mason News
2/24/15 – Erdal Yigit, a Mason professor in the School of Physics, Astronomy and
Computational Sciences, is working with NASA to study how lower atmospheric waves
influence the upper atmosphere of Mars. more
3
ORED Media Report, 2/23-27/15
Researchers Found Gateway to Greater Science Acceptance
The Washington Post
2/26/15 – Researchers at Mason, Princeton and Yale reported in the journal PLOS One
that perceived scientific agreement is a gateway belief that supports or undermines other
key beliefs about climate change. more
Should Californians Resurrect Plan to Pipe Alaska Water?
Wired
2/26/15 – Californians need water and are considering a pipeline to move Alaskan snow
to the Golden State. Don Kash, Mason emeritus tech policy researcher said the idea
makes a lot of sense. more
Middle East Studies Director to Participate Foreign Policy Debate
Cornell Chronicle
2/26/15 – Bassam Haddad, director of Mason's Middle East Studies Program, will
participate in a debate with Ambassador Dennis Ross, counselor and William Davidson
Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The debate will
take place March 3 at Cornell University and will explore the success or failure of
American foreign policy in the Middle East. more
Matched Up
Reno News & Review
2/26/15 – Mason researchers reported that nearly all gay and bisexual men said their
most recent sexual encounter occurred in a relationship with feelings of love. more
McAuliffe Honors 2015 Outstanding Faculty
Augusta Free Press
2/25/15 – Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe honored 13 educators as recipients of the
29th annual Outstanding Faculty Award for excellence in teaching, research andpublic
service. Among the recipients were Mason Robinson Professor of Theater and English
Literature Paul Philip D'Andrea and Lance A. Liotta, a Mason professor in the
School of Systems Biology. more
Exploring Women’s Issues
CSUF News Service
2/25/15 –Noura Erakat, Mason New Century College professor, and human rights
attorney, is the keynote speaker at the California State University Fullerton Women's
History Month reception on March 3. Erakat will discuss "Gender and Conflict
Resolution in Palestine." more
What Net Neutrality Rules Could Mean for Your Wireless Carrier
KRCC
2/25/15 – The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote on broad net neutrality
rules – the idea that Internet providers should treat all traffic on their networksequally.
1
Previously, the FCC tried to enforce rules that would have allowed wireless carriers to
discriminate against websites or applications to prevent network congestion. Mercatus
Fellow Brent Skorup said that's an acknowledgement that wireless is different from
wires that carry data into homes and businesses. more
In Northern Virginia, a Disconnect over Genomics Research
The Washington Post
2/22/15 – Inova officials are looking to purchase a campus for their planned center for
genomics and personalized medicine and are seeking university partnerships. Mason has
its own campus dedicated to life sciences. While a joint venture between the two parties
would seem ideal, Emanuel Petricoin, III, co-director of Mason's Center forApplied
Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, said the question is whether the scientists andthe
doctors find it useful to begin working together. more
2
ORED Media Report, 2/16-20/15
President Misrepresented Threat Posed by Climate Change(Op-Ed)
FayObserver
2/20/15 – U.S. President Barack Obama devoted much of his most recent State of the Union
address to the topic of the threat of climate change, but other dangers might be moreimportant.
Mason researchers report, however, that when journalists do cover climate change newsroom
editors support ignoring climate skeptics in news coverage. more
Six in 10 Americans Have Given Climate Change & Health No Thought
Weather Channel
2/19/15 – Climate change affects everyone—even if they don't recognize its impact. Ed
Maibach, director of Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication, and YaleProject
for Climate Change Communication researchers report that one of the most notable waysclimate
change affects individuals is through health impacts. more
Occupational Licensing Doesn't Benefit Consumers
LouisianaWatchdog.org
2/19/15 – Professional licensing might not protect consumers and might stifle competition,
Mercatus researchers report in a new study. more
Is Inequality Responsible for America's Innovation Gap?(Op-Ed)
The Week, Ricochet
2/19/15 – Many economic scholars hold that government regulation is to blame for thedeclining
pace of innovation, but Mason Economics Professor Alex Tabarrok and Nathan Goldschlag,
a Mason economics major, report there is little correlation between start-up rates and
regulations. more
Moving on up
Real Change
2/19/15 – Community organizers in Seattle examining how neighborhood design affectscriminal
behavior are getting assistance from researchers with George Mason University's Centerfor
Evidence-Based Crime Policy. more
Is Rand Paul the GOP's Great Libertarian Hope Against Clinton: Yes and No.
The Washington Post
2/18/15 –U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is set to announce his presidential candidacy in April,
and a 2009 study by Mason researchers that found that Virginia is the second-most libertarian
state could mean Paul will do well in the Commonwealth. more
Americans Support Action on Global Warming
The Energy Collective
2/18/15 –Researchers from the Yale University Project on Climate Change Communication and
Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication report that not all Republicans have the
same views about climate change. more
1
Senate: Use Caution Before Regulating the Internet of Things
Huffington Post
2/18/15 – Members of the U.S. Senate are examining the Internet of Things, and they arelooking
closely at issues related to safety, privacy, and security. Mercatus Senior Research Fellow
Adam Thierer said the risks of the Internet of Things shouldn't motivate the government to
regulate. more
Scholar: China's International Image Improving
GlobalPost
2/17/15 – Chinese leaders have excelled at promoting their culture to the world, but Gao Qing,
U.S. director of the Confucius Institute at Mason, said they could use some helppolishing
their country's international image. more
Find your Zen with Mindful Meditation
Arizona Daily Wildcat
2/18/15 – Balancing work and play is not easy, but Mason Assistant Professor of Psychology
Robert Youmans and University of Illinois doctoral student Jared Ramsburg report that
meditating before class can lead to better focus and better grades. more
Reporters Predict Contentious Year Ahead for Environment and Energy
New Security Beat
2/18/15 – There are many signs that 2015 will be a key year for climate policy. Among other
things, Climate Central, Mason researchers and Yale University scholars are working thisyear
with local news meteorologists to share information about climate change. more
Legal Standing Questions Unlikely to Derail Supreme Court Arguments on Affordable
Care Act
WisconsinGazette.com
2/16/15 – U.S. Supreme Court justices will likely hear arguments on whether millions of
Americans covered by the Affordable Care Act are eligible for subsidies, but Robert Dudley,
Mason professor of government and politics, said the plaintiffs might not be ideal.more
Google & Microsoft's Blocks on Child Pornography Reduce Searches
Daily Mail
2/13/15 – Internet mechanisms to block child pornography have reduced searches for such
material by 70 percent, according to Chad Steel, an adjunct professor in Mason's Electrical
and Computer Engineering Department, in a recent study published in the journal:"Child
Abuse & Neglect." more
2
ORED Media Report, 2/9-13/15
Parents Lie More Frequently in Front of Sons than in Front of Daughters
Daily Mail
2/13/15 – Daniel Houser, director of Mason's Interdisciplinary Center for Economic
Science, and fellow researchers report that parents act more honestly in front of children, butlie
more often in presence of sons than in the presence of daughters. more
Mercatus Scholars: North Carolina Healthcare Regulations Lead to Higher Costs
NewsObserver.com
2/13/15 – Mercatus scholars Christopher Koopman and Thomas Stratmann reported ina
recent research paper that North Carolina healthcare regulations increase costs by restrictingthe
supply of hospitals and services. more
Workplace Safety Regulations Stifle Innovation
InsuranceNewsNet.com
2/12/15 – Researchers commissioned by Mercatus reported that politicians largely agreethat
occupational safety regulations impede innovations in industry. more
Can the Internet of Things Preserve Privacy?
NBCNews.com
2/11/15 – Federal legislators met this week to consider ways to promote innovation while
simultaneously protecting privacy, but Mercatus researchers said the pace of thetechnology
industry could make policy implementation difficult. more
Gator Blood Contains Strong Germ Fighters
EurekAlert
2/11/15 – A 17-member multidisciplinary research team at Mason has found that the bloodof
crocodilian reptiles contains bacterial infection-fighting compounds—a discovery which could
benefit soldiers in battle and ordinary citizens. more
Climate Change Might Have Fluke on the Move
App.com
2/11/15 – Mason researchers are working with Malin Pinsky, an associate professor ofecology,
evolution and natural resources at Rutgers and researchers at Stony Brook University to
determine whether climate change is causing fluke to migrate. more
Mercatus: Support Regulatory Legislation
The Hill
2/10/15 – House members recently passed a bill aimed at improving federal agencies' regulatory
analyses. The bill requires agencies to clarify the problem they are addressing. The ultimatefate
of the bill is uncertain, but Mercatus Senior Research Fellow Jerry Ellig said its contents
should be part of any comprehensive reform. more
1
Politicians & Media Praise Jon Stewart
Politico
2/10/15 – Following Jon Stewart's announcement earlier this week that he is retiring from "The
Daily Show," Robert Lichter, director of Mason's Center for Media and Public Affairs,
reflected on Stewart's impact and called him "a seminal figure." more
Questions Arise Over Billions in U.S. Ebola Aid
FoxNews
2/9/15 – Aid officials report that money spent to quell Ebola in West Africa eased the health
crisis, but some leaders say it is hard to determine what is happening with the money. Chris
Coyne, Mason Economics professor, said that in remote crisis areas, precise tracking offunds
is unrealistic. more
Study counters stereotypes of black men most at risk for HIV/AIDS
Medical Xpress
2/9/15 –Mason scholars and the Yale School of Public Health recently studied the positive
features of the sexual interactions of black men who have sex with men and compared those
experiences to the interactions of men of other races. The researchers report that love, affection
and pleasure are similar regardless of race. more
Congress & 60 Minutes Exaggerate Threat of Car Hacking
Forbes
2/9/15 – A Pentagon official recently told 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl thatcomputerconnected automobiles are vulnerable to cyber attacks, but some experts, including Mason
Computer Science professor Damon McCoy, said attacks won't become commonplaceuntil
they become more profitable. more
Financial Authorities Say Risk Data Plan Limits Investor Choice
Law360.com
2/9/15 – Mercatus researchers want leaders of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority—
the independent not-for-profit organization that monitors the securities industry—to halt workon
the Comprehensive Automated Risk Data System, saying the system could limit how consumers
invest. more
Growing Sharing Economy Reshapes Markets
Malay Mail Online, Phys.org
2/7/15 – Mercatus Fellow Christopher Koopman said companies like Uber and Airbnbhelp
individuals buy and sell goods and services that might otherwise go unused. more
Pump up the Bass: Mason Students' Invention Fights Fires
Fairfax City Patch, Virginia Wrestling Association
2/5/15 – Mason electrical engineering students Viet Tran and Seth Robertson have
invented—and now hold a patent for—a device that extinguishes fire with sound. more
2
ORED Media Report, 2/2/15-2/6/15
Trial shows promise for increasing metastatic breast cancersurvival
WUSA9.com
2/5/15 – Emanuel Petrocoin, III, co-director of Mason's Center for Applied Proteomicsand
Molecular Medicine, and a team of researchers are testing a technique for treatingmetastatic
breast cancer that has increased the survival of more than half of the patients who have
undergone the procedure. more
Aging population creating new healthcare concerns
Healio.com
2/5/15 – Nurse Researcher Mark McClellan, DHP, RN, CPHQ of Cleveland Clinic and Jean M.
Sorrell, professor emerita in Mason's School of Nursing, have reported in a new articlethat
America's aging population is creating the need for age-tailored care. more
Research finds 'secular bias' in western diplomacy
CatholicPhilly.com
2/4/15 – Peter Mandaville, co-director of Mason's Center for Global Islamic Studies and
Sarah Silvestri, a senior lecturer at City University London, have reported in a new paper that
western diplomacy is largely secular in spirit. more
Cranberries Have Positive Effect on Bacterial Biofilm
Natural Products Insider
2/3/15 – Mason researchers recently released a report stating that cranberries positivelyaffect
bacterial biofilm, a substance that plays a role in urinary tract infections. more
Cost of Global 'War on Terror' Surpasses $1.7 Trillion
IVN
2/2/15 –Mercatus Center researchers recently reported that the United States has incurred$1.7
trillion in expenses related to the war on terror since September 11, 2001. more
Why Can't Scientists and the Public Agree?
Nature World News
2/2/15 – New research from Pew Research Center shows that scientists and the public see the
world differently. Ed Maibach, director of Mason's Center for Climate Change
Communication, said this discrepancy is due to scientists relying on more scientificinformation
and thinking more scientifically. more
DOJ should not approve engineering organization's patent policy
IPWatchdog
2/2/15 – As U.S. lawmakers consider whether to alter policies related to wireless Internet and,
ultimately, other technologies, Mason Professor of Law Adam Mossoff said citizens are not
suffering under current technology standard patents. more
1
An Invitation to Constitutional Conflict
Constitution Daily
2/2/15 – As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to address the U.S. Congress
on March 3, Mason Professor of Law David Bernstein said the planned speech might not bein
line with the U.S. Constitution. more
Investors Misjudge Export-Import Loan Risks
The Tribune-Review
1/31/15 –Some in Washington want to permanently reauthorize the Export-Import bank—the
organization that helps finance U.S. exports—but Mason Economics Donald J. Boudreaux said
most do not understand the risks involved. more
Measles: How Legislators Can End ‘Personal Belief’ Waivers on Vaccination
Los Angeles Times
1/29/15 – Yu-Wei Yang, Mason College of Health and Human Services professor, and
Indiana University Professor of Health and Human Management Ross D. Silverman reported
recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association that vaccine exemptions haveuntil
the present been the norm. more
2
ORED Media Report, 1/16- 1/30/15
The Case for Not Banning Drones
The Washington Post
1/30/15 – Mason’s Mercatus Center Senior Research Fellow Adam Thierer said
recently that steps by drone manufacturers to ensure that their crafts will notfunction
within Washington, D.C. are a worrisome development. more
Gay, Bisexual Men Report Complementary Emotions with Partners
Wisconsin Gazette
1/29/15 – In a new study of 25,000 men, Mason and Indiana University researchers
have found that men in same-sex relationships report complementary emotions with their
significant others. more
It’s Not the Economy, It’s the Politicians
Fresno Bee, Providence Journal
1/29/15 – According to our new research on state fiscal crises published through
Mason’s Mercatus Center, mistakes made by politicians during good years are oftenthe
cause of big headaches down the road. more
Solo, Group Work Setups Lead to Different Types of Creativity
Yahoo! Health
1/28/15 – Researchers at Mason report in a new article that working alone or with
collaborators provides different benefits for workers. more
Obama Acts Alone on Climate Change
Nature.com, Science
1/27/15 – Bob Inglis, executive director of the energy and enterprise initiativeand
the communication department at Mason said U.S. President Barack Obama still has
the chance to leave his mark on environmental policy by collaborating with republicans.
more
New Businesses, Dozens of Jobs in Game Institute's First Year
Patch.com
1/16/15
Researchers at Mason’s Virginia Serious Game Institute have generated new jobsand
companies and generated millions of dollars as they work to promote new technology.
more
Scientists, Public See Things Differently
The Westside Story
1/30/15
Nearly 90 percent of scientists see that climate change is happening, while only half of
the general public does. Ed Maibach, director of the center for climate change
communication at Mason, said this is due to scientists basing judgments on fact. more
1
Weakening wireless technology patents hurt everyone
RCR Wireless News
1/28/15
Adam Mossoff, Mason law professor said that there is no proof that the paceof
technology is being slowed by the speed at which patents are issued. more
###
2
ORED Media Report, 1/16/15
It’s Not the Economy, It’s the Politicians
Fresno Bee
1/16/15 – According to our new research on state fiscal crises published through the
Mercatus Center at George Mason University, mistakes made by politicians during good
years are often the cause of big headaches down the road. more
New Businesses, Dozens of Jobs in Game Institute's First Year
Manassas Patch
1/16/15 – George Mason-based Virginia Serious Game Institute offers hands-ontraining,
certification, research and development assistance. more
VA Serious Game Institute Generates New Biz at GMU
Dcinno.streetwise
1/16/15 – Less than a year old the institute has already birthed five businesses, created 35
new jobs and garnered half a million in corporate support. more
USAF Launches Slate of Acquisitions at Mason
Defense News, IHS Jane’s
1/16/15 -- "PlugFest Plus" will be held at Mason Jan. 20, where industry and government
participants can show off technology to Air Force Research Lab officials. more
Could Suburban Maryland Pass NOVA?
Washington Post
1/16/15 – During the recession Washington fared better than the rest of the country, but
with Federal cutbacks the local economy is falling behind. According to Stephen Fuller
of Mason’s Center for Regional Analysis. more
No Conflict of Interest
Boston Business Journal
1/14/15 – Research by James C. Cooper, director of research and policy at Mason’s
Law and Economic policy institute shows the reports of conflict of interest on drug
advisory panels have been greatly exaggerated. more
France Will Recover
Washington Post
1/15/15 – Justin Gest, asst. professor at Mason’s School of Policy Government and
International Affairs, interviewed and analyzed responses from more than 100 people
from Muslim nations. The information suggested that political systems can rebound from
physical destruction and fear. more
Build a New Virginia Economy
Lexington Herald Leader
1/14/15 – Governor McAuliffe remarks that automatic federal budget cuts reduced
military contracts in Virginia by $9.8 billion between 2011 and 2013 and, according to a
1
Mason study, they threaten to eliminate 154,000 jobs in the commonwealth, or 4 percent
of our workforce. more
Northrop Boss Touts Importance of R&D
Seapower Magazine
1/15/15 – So said Wes Bush, Northrop CEO, at the Cardinal Bank & GMU Economic
Conference. more
Scary Economic Predictions
Mainstreet.com
1/14/15 – GDP will grow, unemployment will be low, but wage growth won’t keeppace
with job growth. The market will do well said Terry L. Clower, Mason professor of
public policy. more
To Save Power, Appeal to Health Benefits
The Daily Climate
1/12/15 – A UCLA/Mason study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Science showed that reminding people that power usage has health costs because of
pollution worked better to motivate conservation than pointing out the dollar costs of
consuming power. more
Dual Language Education Expands in Border Schools to Close Learning Gap
Borderzine
1/14/15 – Education researchers Virginia Collier and Wayne Thomas of George Mason
University have done 20 years of bilingual program evaluation research in almost two
dozen school districts in 15 states. According to the researchers, who published their
findings in 2012, dual language is the only program that fully closes the achievement gap.
more
Transforming Police Through Science
OUP.com
1/12/15 – Videos may help, but can’t solve the problems alone write authors of this
article including David Weisburd, director of Mason’s Center for Evidence-Based
Crime Policy. more
2
ORED Media Report 12/20/14—1/9/15
Headline
Publication
12/19/14 – Start description, bold names. more
Mason Research Data on ACA Released
Insurancenewsnet.com
1/9/15 – The research suggests legislative and other methods to increasepreventative
clinical service requirements for adults. more
Virginia Serious Game Institute Spawns New Biz at Mason
Streetwise.com, Area Development Online
1/6/15 – The Virginia Serious Game Institute on George Mason University's Prince
William campus is not even a year old and it has already birthed five businesses and
created 35 new jobs. more
Summer Science Fellow To Pursue Master’s at Mason
Yourtown (PA)
1/8/15 -- Erin Ratliff, psychology major with a minor in biology, in the last semester of
her senior year at Mansfield University, was one of 12 students selected from 600
applicants for Mason’s summer science fellowship. She plans to pursue a master’s at
Mason next year. She worked on U.S. Airforce-funded research in the Cognitions Lab to
study how humans interact with their environment. more
Mason Study Shows Kids’ Sports Physicals Need Work
Fairfax News, Consumer Affairs
1/6/15 – Mason researchers say not enough is being done to detect cardiac and other
health conditions through sports physicals. Shane Caswell of the College of Education
and Human Development’s School of Recreation, Health and Tourism co-authored
the study. more
Plane Sharing Startup Sues FAA
Wall Street Journal
1/7/15 – Flytenow, a startup that connects private pilots with passengers, is challenging
the FAA. Sharing-based businesses often conflict with regulations. These conflicts are
inevitable when the world changes before regulations, according to Christopher
Koopman Mercatus fellow. more
Window to Mitigate Global Warming is Shrinking
Huffington Post
1/7/15 – It’s time to eliminate the notion that action on climate change will thwart the
economy after 2014 – the hottest year on record, writes Michael Shank, Masonadjunct
in the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution. more
1
FTC Commissioner Slams Lending Restrictions
PYMTS.com
1/6/15 – Lending regulations harm consumers, according to Joshua Wright, one offive
Federal Trade Commissioners and leading economic scholar on leave from Mason.
more
Music, Art and Dance Offer Hope to Dementia Suffers
Washington Post, Herald Tribune, Standard Examiner
1/6/15 – With an aging population, the government, universities and health care concerns
are trying to determine whether the arts have quantifiable therapeutic value for
Alzheimers patients. The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Institutes of
Health and others are pushing for more answers. Holly Matto, Mason professor of social
work is conducting federally subsidized research at Birmingham Green. She said people
with cognitive impairment often feel overwhelmed by their inability to process and
integrate information from their surroundings. The arts such as painting and music, can
help them restore a sense of order to their world. more
New Hacks to Worry About
International Business Times
1/7/15 – As “smart” homes fill with more “smart” devices they become an “internet of
things,” say folks at the Consumer Electronics Show. Critical systems from home
security, to glucose monitoring, to car brakes are being networked, and the aggregation
increases the number of entry points for hackers. Manufacturers worry that lawmakers
will overreact with fear-based policy creation. “If we pent all our time worrying about
worst-case scenarios and making policy based on that, then best-case scenarios will never
come about," said Adam Thierer, Mercatus senior research fellow. more
Where is the Economy Heading in 2015
Marketwatch
1/6/15 –Stephen Fuller, of Mason’s Center for Regional Analysis, spearheads the23rd
Annual Greater Washington Economic Conference, which will provide a foundation of
research and data analysis to use as predictive indicators for 2015. more
Attention Reds and Blues: Innovation Looks like This
Washington Post
1/7/15 – Already looking ahead to 2016 parties on both sides are looking for a platform to
promote growth, innovation and a competitive edge in global markets. Mason’s Adam
Thierer says the Innovation Platform decidedly favors “permissionless” innovation over
pre-emptive controls — prevalent in much of the world and in many industries — in
which disruptors must seek approval from regulators before they can offer their products
to the market. more
The Congress That Cried Wolf
Reason.com
2/2015 – It’s time for lawmakers to stop abusing the emergency-spending loophole,
according to Mercatus Senior Research Fellow Veronique de Rugy’s op-ed. more
2
Faulty Economics
Fox News
1/6/15 – A book by a French economist who became a darling of 99 percenters, by
calling for 80% tax increases on the rich, has errors, according to Mason’s Phillip
Magness and Robert P. Murphy of the Institute for Energy Research. The errors they
report range from relatively simple mistakes such as getting several historical dates
wrong to mis-attributing a massive tax increase to President Franklin Roosevelt thatwas
actually passed by President Herbert Hoover. more
Examining Onlookers Role in the Holocaust
Education Week News 1/5/15 – Article features insights from Anthony Pelligrino, asst.
professor in Mason’s graduate school of Education. more
Breaking Up (Tax Code) Is Hard to Do
Economic Policies – Manhattan Institute, Economics 21
1/6/15 – Everyone wants reform, but few agree on what constitutes tax reform. Laborintensive firms get to write off employee salaries when they cut payroll checks, says
Matt Mitchell, senior research fellow at Mercatus. "We shouldn't penalizecompanies
that have to incur capital expenses in order to earn income." more
Kyptowire to Commercialize DHS-Funded Mobile Security Tech
Executive Biz, Federal Times, Washington Post, Technical.ly DC
1/6/15 -- A mobile security archiving technology developed by George Mason
University and funded by the Department of Homeland Security will reach the
commercial market through an agreement with Fairfax-based Kryptowire, reported
Federal Times. DHS granted George Mason University $250,000 to create the system,
according to the Washington Post. more
Will Rift Save Turkey’s Secularists?
Today’sZaman.com
1/5/15 – Op-ed by Mustafa Gürbüz, policy fellow at the Center for Global Policyat
Mason and research fellow at the Rethink Institute in Washington, D.C. more
Empty Nesters Offer Boon for Metro DC Builders
Washington Post
1/1/15 – David Versel, a senior research associate with Mason’s Center for Regional
Analysis in Arlington, Va., says his studies are showing that while baby boomers prefer
walkability, most are concentrated in the suburbs where they face the need todrive.
GMU’s research shows that 47 percent of homeowner households in the D.C. area in
2010 had at least one baby boomer owner (aged 45 to 64). more
3
Question Authority – Make Your Own Top Tech 2015 Predictions
Spectrum
1/1/15 – Articles in Spectrum’s January “Top Tech 2015” offer readers a chance to make
their own predictions by linking to SciCast, the prediction market project co-founded by
Charles Twardy, Kathryn Laskey, and Robin Hanson at George Mason University.
more
Study Endorses Preschool for Low Income Children
Houston Chronicle
12/25/14 – Study says preschool helps poor children. Mark Ginsberg, dean of the
College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University in
Fairfax, Virginia, called the results impressive. "It's really quite encouraging," said the
national expert on early childhood education & former executive director of the National
Association for the Education of Young Children. more
U Worth It?
Stats.org
11/19/14 – Studies of the economic benefits of a college degree do not provide the
expected evidence—and the flaws in measurement have profound implications for debt
laden Americans. With that total student debt hitting one trillion dollars and growing, and
the price of College having grown more than 250 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars
since 1982 – is the debt is worth it. The most recent answer—from the Pew Research
Center—is that, yes, it is. Op-ed by Rebecca Goldin, professor of Mathematical
Sciences at Mason. more
Justice Dept. is In Your Boardroom – Bigtime
Fortune
12/22/14 – The rise of deferred and non-prosecution agreements has given the Justice
Department an outsize role in regulating Corporate America, ccording to preliminarydata
compiled by Mason researchers, who studied more than 500 criminal settlements
between the Justice Department and public companies between 1984 and 2011. The data,
which will be refined and released in a report in early 2015. more
Taxpayers Lose Billions on Auto Bailout
The Heartland Institute
1/2/15 -- “The sale of the government's stake in Ally Financial—GM's financingarm—
marks the end of a piece of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which was originally
billed as a bank bailout program,” said Mercatus senior research fellow Hester Peirce.
“Taxpayer money was put at great risk, and the return on investment that Treasury now
trumpets is not adequate to compensate taxpayers for the risk they took.” more
4
Researchers Hunt Deformed Exoplanets
RT.com
12/31/14 – A team of researchers says that extremely hot exoplanet orbiting red dwarf
star could be bent out of shape and stretched out by the extreme tidal forces, and that such
world could be discovered by new telescopes currently in the pipeline. “Imagine takinga
planet like the Earth or Mars, placing it near a cool red star and stretching it out.
Analyzing the new shape alone will tell us a lot about the otherwise impossible tosee
internal structure of the planet and how it changes over time," said Prabal Saxena,
Mason astrophysicist. more
Drink and the Odds of Injury
STATS
1/2/15 – Studies of drink and subsequent injuries often ignore many factors about the
subjects. Op-ed by Rebecca Goldin, professor of Mathematical Sciences at Mason.
more
American Workers’ Creativity Stunted
Fairfax News
1/4/15 – “The data show that people are unhappy with the decrease in their ability to be
creative in the workplace,” said Matthew Cronin, associate professor ofmanagement
at George Mason University. “This is what employers should take away from the
results: Letting people be creative is an incentive. more
We Need the “Destruction” in Creative Destruction
The Week Magazine
12/31/14 – Creative destruction and its once cool cousin "disruption" seem to be on the
outs lately. Adam Gurri, Mason economics alum researches on the ethics of business and
work. more
Feel Young and Live Long
Delawareonline.com
12/30/14 – Folks who feel “young at heart” may live longer. Research findings sho
optimism can be powerful when it comes to a person’s overall health, said James
Maddux, emeritus professor of psychology at Mason. more
5
6
ORED Media Report 12/13-19/14
Feeling Younger May Help You Live Longer
Tech Times
12/16/14 – “We do know that anxiety and poor management of stress can put people at
increased risk of cardiovascular disease, while the link between those emotions and
cancer is much weaker," said James Maddux, from George Mason University. "It's not a
surprise to me that they found this link for cardiovascular disease but not for cancer."
more
Astronomers Witness Planets ‘Squished’ by Stars
Science Recorder, Discovery News
12/17/14 -- New research shows that rocky exoplanets near red dwarf planets may ... it
out,” said lead author Prabal Saxena of George Mason University. (need subscription
to read full article). more
Why It's Harder For Women To Say 'No' To Extra Work
Business Insider
12/17/14 -- Katharine O'Brien, a postdoctoral research associate at the Baylor Schoolof
Medicine, and Eden King of George Mason University conducted a series of studies,
which concluded that women find it harder than men to decline assignments…more
What Your Taxes Really Cost
The Daily Signal
12/18/14 – More than you think, according to Jason Fichtner, a senior research fellow at
the Mercatus Center. more
What Americans Don’t Know About Climate Change Could Hurt‘Em
Desmogblog.com, Co.Exist
12/18/14 – “Global warming is already having real health consequences in America
today,” said researcher Ed Maibach, PhD, of George Mason University. “Peopleare
being harmed by extreme weather events, wildfires, decreased air quality, and illnesses
transmitted by food, water, mosquitoes and ticks. Our study found that most Americans
don’t yet know that climate change threatens human health. This suggests the need for a
public health education campaign.” more
Phosphoproteomic Data from I-SPY 2 IDs Potential New Marker of Patient
Response to Neratinib
Genomeweb
12/17/14 – Researchers associated with the I-SPY 2 trial have identified a number of
proteomic and phosphoproteomic markers that can predict the response of breast cancer
patients to Puma Biotechnology's tyrosine kinase inhibitor neratinib, according to
Emanuel Petricoin, co-director of George Mason University's Center for Applied
Proteomics and Molecular Medicine. more
Jerry
1
Cornerstone of Regulatory Reform
The Hill
12/12/14 – Op-ed coauthored by Jerry Ellig, senior research fellow with the Mercatus
Center, says our current regulatory system continues to produce ineffective and
expensive rules. more
How Charities Get More Out of Donors
Wall Street Journal
12/14/14 – Research by Ragan Petrie and Marco Castillo of George Mason foundthat
the promise of public recognition through social media works. more
Could Christmas Worsen Ebola Spread
NBC News
12/19/14 -- "All it takes to set off a new series of cases is one person who is infected with
the Ebola virus but not yet sick travelling to another place, falling ill there, and passing
the virus on to others," said Kathryn Jacobsen, a professor of global health
epidemiology at Mason. more
Pro-Biz is Bad Biz for the Middle Class
Washington Post
12/17/19 – George Mason University economist Matthew Mitchell writes that gov’t
assistance to particular businesses through subsidies, bailouts, tax privileged and
incentives is what behind the fact that things are worse for the average American, witha
smaller share of people working than at any point since 1978. more
###
2
ORED Media Report, 12/6-12/12/14
We Already Know Torture Doesn’t Work
LaGrange Daily News
12/11/14 – “Intense pain is quite likely to produce false confessions…” It delays results,
while investigations are conducted, according to Mason professor James P. Pfiffner in
his book Examining Torture, co-edited with Dr. Tracy Lightcap. more
Manassas Company Developing Ebola Saliva Test
Leesburg Today, Patch.com
12/9/14 – Ceres Nanosciences, Inc. began a development program – funded by a
$450,000 grant from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – to use “Nanotrap” particle
technology to detect the presence of the Ebola virus in saliva. Ceres will work in close
collaboration with George Mason University and the U.S. Army Medical Research
Institute of Infectious Diseases. More
Saying No to Extra Work Days Tougher for Women
Business News Daily
12/10/14 – A study co-authored by Mason Associate Professor Eden King and Rice
University Professor Mikki Hebl showed that women finder it harder than men to sayno
to extra work, and are judged more harshly for doing so. more
Torture Report, Latin America’s Lessons for the U.S.
Council on Hemispheric Affairs NACLA
12/10/14 -- Jo-Marie Burt, former editor of NACLA, teaches at George Mason
University and is a Senior Fellow at the Office on Latin America (WOLA). She
worked for the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission and was an international
observer to the Fujimori and Rios Montt trials. more
The Preschool Mirage
National Review
12/10/14 – The Obama administration announced a $1 billion pre-school initiative. David
Armor, Mason professor emeritus of public policy, notes that “the most
methodologically rigorous evaluations find that the academic benefits of preschool
programs are quite modest.” more
Obamacare Creates Federal Contractor Boom
St. Louis Post Dispatch
12/8/14 – “It’s going to be really hard to find more money,” said Stephen Fuller, an
economist at George Mason University who follows federal spending closely. more
Contractors Find Growth in Health Not War
Bend Bulletin
12/11/14 – Mason Economist Stephen Fuller, who follows federal spending closely, said,
“I would think HHS is in a position to sustain their funding levels and gain some aswell
where other agencies are going to find it more difficult just to keep what theyhave.”
more
1
Researchers Find Oldest Cancer Case
Ancient Origins
12/9/14 – The Baikal-Kokkaido Archaeological Project and research team whichlocated
the rare find was comprised of international experts, including Mason biological
anthropologist Daniel Temple. More
Koch Gift to University of Louisville Raises Fears of Political Influence in Classes
WPFL News for Louisville
12/10/14 – Large gifts from Koch to other universities have come under sharp criticism. At
George Mason University in Virginia, students are concerned that $23 million in gifts
from the Charles Koch Foundation has made the college a “subsidiary of Koch
Industries.” more
The Vanishing Male Worker: How America Fell Behind
NYTimes
12/12/14 – And technology has made unemployment less lonely. Tyler Cowen, an
economist at George Mason University, argues that the Internet allows men toentertain
themselves and find friends and sexual partners at a much lower cost than did previous
generations. more
Help Wanted: Women Entrepreneurs in STEM
Brookings Institution
12/8/14 – Op Ed by Christine Kymn, professor at Mason’s School of Law.
The Cornerstone of Regulatory Reform
The Hill
12/12/14 – Op Ed coauthored by Jerry Ellig, senior research fellow with the Mercatus
Center. Williams is vice president for policy research with the Mercatus Center at
George Mason University. more
5 Ways Mason Made 2014 Its Year
InTheCapital
12/12/14 – A professor was named chair of President Obama’s task force on policing,
students released a comprehensive report on adjunct faculty, law school alumn became
the first to serve in Congress, Mason partnered to award scholarships to undocumented
students, opened new campuses in Loudoun and Korea, and won an $8 million contract to
prepare future military doctors… more
Pentagon Can Have Waterever It Wants…
Reason.com
12/12/14 – Op Ed by Veronique de Rugy, senior research fellow at Mercatus. more
Inner Workings of Think Tanks
The Nonprofit Quarterly
12/12/14 – Mason’s Mercatus Center is among several highly influential conservative
think tanks. more
2
Survey Shows UAE Arabs Have Poor Image of Iran
The National
12/12/14 – Mark Katz, professor of government and politics at the School of Policy,
Government and International Affairs at George Mason University in Washington,
DC, said there was a growing sense that Iran was determined to provide armedassistance
to its Shia allies. more
Finacial Industry Should Be Its Own Knight in Shining Armor
American Banker
12/9/14 – Op Ed by Hester Peirce, senior research fellow, Mercatus. The financial
industry should have the discipline to self-regulate. more
Building Safe Communities
Greater Greater Washington
12/8/14 -- Transportation Camp explored the intersection of urban transportation and
technology at the Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting at George
Mason’s University School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs, at Founders
Hall. more
NC Newspapers Mostly Silent As ALEC And Koch Brothers Rewrite History
Media Matters for America
12/9/14 – North Carolina newspapers have largely missed the connection between a
Koch-funded education non-profit organization contracted to help shape new statewide
history curriculum materials, and the American Legislative Exchange Council(ALEC),
the conservative model legislation mill that wrote the bill mandating the new course
work. Even papers that mentioned the Koch brothers influence failed to acknowledge the
depth of the connection between the brothers and BRI. The institute's board ofdirectors
includes Todd Zywicki, a senior scholar at the Koch-founded Mercatus Center at
George Mason University. more
Ivy League Professor Donated Mostly to Democrats in2014
The Daily Signal
12/7/14 -- “Once you sort of get a department above 50 percent (in ideology), they’ll tend
to keep people out who oppose them,” said Daniel Klein, an economics professor at
George Mason University. more
3
ORED Media Report, 11/28/14 – 12/5/14
Lawmakers, Lobbyists Eye Energy Subsidies
Daily Signal
12/1/14 – In a lame-duck Congress billions of dollars in federal energy subsidies could be
up for grabs says Matt Mitchell, policy analyst at Mercatus. more
Academic Elite Want to Impose ‘Wisdom’
LubbockOnline.com
12/1/14 – Walter Williams, professor Economics, wrote my Mason colleague Daniel
B. Klein and Charlotta Stern of the Swedish Institute for Social Research, wrote: “The
academic social sciences are pretty much a one-party system. Were the Democratictent
broad, the one-party system might have intellectual diversity. But the data show almost
no diversity of opinion among the Democratic professors…” more
Mason Study Says Suburbs Feel Property Tax Pinch
Washington Business Journal
12/1/14 – According to a report from Mason’s Center for Regional Analysis. more
Obama Taps Mason’s Laurie Robinson for Police Task Force
Philly.com, Christian Science Monitor, Wall Street Journal, In the Capital, Allentown
Morning Call and more
12/2/14 – Robinson, professor of Criminology is a former assistant attorneygeneral
from the Justice Department. more more more
George Shultz Goes Solar – Sign of Thawing Climate Debate
Bloomberg.com
12/2/14 – Two in three Americans now believe global warming is real, according to an
October survey of 1,275 people by Yale and George Mason universities. That’s up from
57 percent in January 2010. more
Bully-Free Zone, Universities Approve Anti-bullying Policies
Inside Higher Education
12/2/14 -- Jaime Lester, associate professor higher education at Mason and editorof
Workplace Bullying in Higher Education, said there have been few comprehensive
studies of bullying in higher education… more
Hottest Year Ever Adds Urgency to Climate Movement
Business Week
12/2/14 – Two in three Americans now believe global warming is real, according to an
October survey of 1,275 people by Yale and George Mason universities. more
Parents Play Vital Role in Molding Future Scientists
Phys Org, Tech Times
12/2/14 – Mason Research shows that parents and family make all the difference in
creating the next generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians, accordingto
1
Lance Liotta, a study author and co-director of Mason's Center for Applied
Proteomics and Molecular Medicine. more
Lagging Property Values Will Drive Gov’t Choices
The Washington Post
12/2/14 – Only four cities or counties in the Washington region have fully rebuilt their
property tax bases since the 2008 recession, says a study from Mason’s Center for
Regional Analysis. more
The Kochtopus Spreads its Tentacles To Strangle Climate Science
Desmogblog.com
12/3/14 – Fred Singer, Mason distinguished research professor at the Instituteof
Humane Studies, is an influential denier of climate change. more
Federal Spending for Maryland Falls $1.2 Billion
Baltimore Sun
12/3/14 – This is according to the Pew Charitable Trust, which did a study since the
Census Bureau discontinued this reporting after 2010. The report's demise created a
blind spot that hampers economic analysis. The loss of accounting for all types offederal
spending is a major blow to research, said Stephen Fuller, director of Mason’s Center
for Regional Analysis. more
Ceres Nanoscience Inc. to Develop New Method to Detect Ebola in Saliva
News Medical
12/3/14 – Funded by the Gates Foundation, Ceres' Nanotrap® particle technology will be
used to detect Ebola in saliva. During the four-month performance of this program, Ceres
will work in close collaboration with George Mason University and the United States
Army Medical Research Institutes of Infectious Diseases. Nanotrap was invented at
Mason under funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). more
Hot Air From Lima Climate Conference
National Review
12/5/14 – Op ed by Patrick J. Michaels, senior fellow in research and economic
development at Mason. more
Commericial Real Estate Decline Pressure County Budget
FairfaxTimes.com
12/5/14 – The local office market has been hard hit by defense spending cuts. David
Versel, senior research associate Mason’s Center for Regional Analysis wrote this
increases the burden for residential property owners and makes it difficult for local
governments to maintain public facilities and services. more
2
Scientists find 4,500-Year-Old Siberian Skeleton – World’s Oldest Case of Cancer?
The Mail Online
12/5/14 – Daniel Temple from George Mason University was part of the team that
discovered that the cancer had riddled the ancient man’s bones with from head to hip,
including his upper arms and upper legs, and virtually all points between. more
Internet Sales Tax Likely Victim of Lame Duck Congress
Human Events
12/5/14 – While mayors worry about lost revenue Senior Research Fellow Veronique
de Rugy of Mason’s Mercatus Center insists that the rise of e-commerce benefits the
American economy. more
Fauquier Real Estate Value Down 17%
Fauquier Now
12/3/14 – Reports a study by David E. Versel, senior research associate with Mason’s
Center for Regional Analysis. more
India’s Role in Asia’s Nuclear Order
The Diplomat
12/4/14 -- The New York-based Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) published a new
report, Strategic Stability in the Second Nuclear Age, by Gregory Koblentz, aprofessor
at George Mason University. Koblentz calls on the Obama administration to
“discourage India from pursuing missile defense capabilities.” more
Silicon Valley Discovers Lobbying
Network World
12/3/14 – Adam Thierer, a senior research fellow at Mercatus: “They have madethe
calculation that either we invest in lobbying or our competitors crush us.” more
Ceres Nanoscience Inc. Announced Development of Ebola Test as Cases Top 17,000
CIDRAP, PHYS ORG and others
12/3/14 – A $430,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting
the project, and Ceres is collaborating with George Mason University and the US Army
Medical Research Institutes of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). more
Earth Too Hot For It’s Own Good
The Hill
12/3/14 – The Woodrow Wilson Center will host a talk on building resilience to climate
change. Experts in biology, family planning and anthropology from the London School of
Economics, George Mason University and more. more
Global Warming, Reality and Denial
PennLive.com
12/1/14 – A Mason/Yale survey shows most Americans get it. Dimissives/deniers are
"more likely to be male and white than the national average." more
###
3
ORED Media Report 11/15-11/26
Obamacare Economist is the Problem
Amarillo.com
11/25/14 – Op-ed by Walter Williams, Mason Economics professor, touches on the
notion that universities are more devoted to inducing “correct” opinion than learning.
Williams writes, “A study by my George Mason University colleague Daniel B. Klein,
along with Charlotta Stern of the Swedish Institute for Social Research, titled“Professors
and Their Politics: The Policy Views of Social Scientists” concluded: “The academic
social sciences are pretty much a one-party system. more
Government Green Appliance Subsidy Half-Baked, Says Study
Heartland.org
11/26/14 – Academic research examining the outcomes of a green subsidy program
contained within the larger American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)
has found that the program largely failed to achieve its stated goals. “Cash for
Appliances” or C4A’s failure to achieve its stated goals was predictable, according to
Veronique de Rugy, senior research fellow at Mercatus. “It’s assumed that, when
someone switches appliances and reduces his energy bill, the law of economics is
suspended. They aren’t,” she explained. “When the price of energy goes down, people
tend to increase their consumption, hence no or little energy savings. more
Intelligent Vehicles Could Save Lives
Orange County Register
11/25/14 – The National Safety Council, reports some 418 Americans may losetheir
lives on the roads this Thanksgiving, in addition to over 44,000 injuries from car crashes.
The subject is discussed in an op-ed by Adam Thierer, senior research fellow with the
Technology Policy Program at the Mercatus Center. more
Washington Area Seeks to Break Free from Federal Spending
Washington Post
11/25/14 -- Washington area’s reliance on federal spending has become a major headache
for state and local governments, with congressionally mandated program cuts leaving
gaping holes in revenue projections from Annapolis to Richmond. George Mason
University’s Center for Regional Analysis estimates that the federal government spent
$13.4 billion less in the Washington area in 2013 than in 2010. more
Media Fanning the Flames in Feguson?
Fox 29
11/25/14 – Many wonder if violence will once again break out in the community and
whether media coverage will make that violence worse. In a poll by the Remington
Research Group, 73 percent of those surveyed said the media made things worse, and 18
percent said it made things better and the remainder had no opinion. Assistant Dean of
George Mason University Law School Rich Kelsey said the concern should be whether
the story the media told was the accurate one. more
1
When Thankfulness Can Hurt
U.S. News & World Report
11/25/14 – Todd Kashdan, a psychology professor at George Mason University says gratitude is
generally good and encourages kindness, but But the emotion can be problematic when it feels more like a
debt to be paid than an opportunity to say "thank you." That's often the case among men, who aremore
critical of gratitude than women, Kashdan's research has shown. “Men tend to often feel that if someone
does something beneficial toward them, now they’re in debt such that they think about their relationships
like a bank account.” more
Why Americans Don’t Save
Reason.com
11/25/14 -- One-third of Americans have nothing saved for retirement. Column by
Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at Mercatus. more
Elite Contempt for Ordinary Americans
Monrone News Star
11/25/14 – A study by George Mason’s Daniel B. Klein, along with Charlotta Stern of
the Swedish Institute for Social Research, titled "Professors and Their Politics: The
Policy Views of Social Scientists" concluded: "The academic social sciences are pretty
much a one-party system. Were the Democratic tent broad, the one-party systemmight
have intellectual diversity. But the data show almost no diversity of opinion among the
Democratic professors. more
Pakistan – Fastest Growing Nuclear Program
International Business Times/Reuters
11/25/14 – Although the U.S. and Russia still possess over 90 percent of the world's
nuclear weapons, Pakistan has slowly built-up a stockpile that should it decides to
weaponised it, the country could produce as many as 200 nuclear devices by the year
2020. "The United States has more to lose from a breakdown in strategic stabilitythan
any other country," wrote Gragory D. Koblentz, an associate professor of the School
of Policy, Government, and International Affairs, and deputy director of the
Biodefense Graduate Program from George Mason University.
Report Urges DC to Expand Global Reach
Washington Post
11/24/14 – Washington may be home to embassies and diplomats from countries the
world over, but when it comes to business, the region is failing to realize its potential on
the international stage. That’s the premise of a report released this month by George
Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis, which criticizes the region’s
economic reliance on the federal government and suggests ways it can become abigger
player in the global marketplace. more
Algorithm Speeds Lidar Assessment of Landslide Risk
Photonics.com
11/24/14 – Computer algorithms could turn lidar surveying systems into powerful tools
for assessing landslides and keeping people out of their path. Created by researchers at
Oregon State University and George Mason University, the Contour Connection
2
Method (CCM) is based on lidar data. Developers say it can analyze and classify
landslide risk in an area of 50 or more square miles in about 30 minutes, a task that would
otherwise take an expert several weeks to months to complete. more
Fitzpatrick’s Pipeline Arguments Don’t Hold Up
The Intelligencer (PA)
Buckcountycouriertimes.com
Itsforhome.com (blog)
C-span.org
11/24/14 – His misguided reasoning that it will create, as he stated, “thousands offamilysustaining jobs” is false. Study after study has shown this is simply not true. Forexample,
according to a George Mason University study, Keystone may create about 2,500
temporary jobs during construction; permanent jobs are estimated around 40. more
What’s In A Label – Not Much If It Says ‘All Natural’
PRI
11/21/14 – “The problem with ‘natural’ is that it’s not a science issue,” says Richard
Williams, a former FDA director for social sciences at the Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition. “It’s definitely a marketing statement.” Williams, the current vice
president for policy research at Mason’s Mercatus Center, says "the law is prettyclear
about what has to be on the food label. Congress passes the laws, and the FDA passes
regulations that require information to be on the food label. In general, the information
that they require is based on science.” more
Buget Rules May ‘Encourage” Agencies Year-End Shopping
Heartland.org
11/17/14 – Scholars from the Mercatus Center at George Mason Universitysearched
through numerous public spending databases for evidence of wasteful “use it or lose”
spending by government agencies. more
Ad Networks Digital Paradise for Cyber-Criminals
Eweek.com
11/15/14 – A study of the ZeroAccess botnet and its ability to use fraudulent advertising
clicks to generate revenue demonstrates that online ad networks have insufficient
countermeasures to combat the cyber-criminals. In the paper presented at the 21st ACM
Conference on Computer and Communications Security in Scottsdale, Ariz., Nov. 3-7,
Paxson and other researchers from the University of California at Berkeley, Microsoft,
George Mason University and others released details of their study, conducted with data
from a cooperating advertising network. more
National Math Study
Montana.edu
3
11/17/14 – Funded by a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the
three-year project will examine how intensive training can affect teachers’ use of
mathematical modeling in the classroom. The practice can have far-reaching effectson
how students perceive and use mathematics, according to project leaders at MSU,
George Mason University, and Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, Calif. more
Flipping the Classroom Paradigm
NCAR/UCAR Atmos News
11/17/14 – The urge to transform higher education through online technology is making
its way into atmospheric science. “The results from the K-12 world have been very
encouraging,” says Ross-Lazarov. A report produced by Pearson, George Mason
University, and the Flipped Learning Network includes several case studies hinting at
increased engagement and higher test scores. more
Even Piecemeal Immigration Reform Could Boost the U.S. Economy
Brookings.edu
11/20/14 – In other words, population growth matters. George Mason University
economist Tyler Cowen wrote that the “relatively neglected field” of population
economics could hold answers to the period of slow growth facing much of the developed
world. For Cowen, one solution is obvious: absorb more immigrants. more
Pakistan to Have 200 Nuclear Weapons by 2020
Economic Times
11/23/14 – Pakistan has the fastest growing nuclear weapons program in the world. The
report 'Strategic Stability in the Second Nuclear Age', authored by George Mason
University's Gregory Koblentz, has identified South Asia as the region "most at risk of
a breakdown in strategic stability due to an explosive mixture of unresolvedterritorial
disputes, cross-border terrorism, and growing nuclear arsenals." more
Hellman’s Sues to Protect Mayo-Monopoly
Reason.com
11/22/14 – Must mayo contain eggs as FDA regulations require? The issue is examined
in a column by Baylen J. Linnekin, executive director of Keep Food Legal
Foundation and an adjunct professor at George Mason University Law School,
where he teaches Food Law & Policy. more
Back to the Future – ASC’s New Division of Policing
Oxford University Press Blog
11/15/14 – As Anthony Braga, Cynthia Lum (Criminology George Mason), and
Edward Davis described in a recent article in The Police Chief, a major goal of the
Division is to build strong partnerships between police and researchers that will ideally
increase the number of completed research studies and improve translation of research
findings into police practice. more
Contentiousness of Net Neutrality Leads to Spirited Tech Debate
The Daily Texan
4
11/19/14 – “Vertical integration of new features and services by broadband operators is
an essential part of the innovation strategy companies will need to use to compete and
offer customers the services they demand,” said Adam Theierer, a senior research
fellow at George Mason University, in a 2004 article he wrote entitled “NetNeutrality:
Digital Discrimination or Regulatory Gamesmanship in Cyberspace?” more
UK – World’s 4th Most Entrepreneurial Economy
Eurasia Review (& 14 other publications)
11/19/14 – The UK has become Europe’s most entrepreneurial economy and has climbed
five places to fourth globally, according to the 2015 edition of the Global
Entrepreneurship Index (GEI) released today.The study was carried out by researchers
from Imperial College Business School in association with collaborators at the London
School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), University of Pécs and George Mason
University. more
Computer Science Puts Art Analysis on Fast Track
Standard Examiner
11/16/14 – The field is growing. The Getty Foundation in Los Angeles provides grantsto
researchers in digital art history; George Mason University’s Roy Rosenzweig Center
for History and New Media, one of the recipients, received $155,000. more
5
ORED Media Report, 11/8 - 11/14
How Food Fared at the Voting Booth
Reason
11/8/14 – Food policy was on the ballot around the country, and there were some
victories for food freedom, according to Baylen J. Linnekin, adjunct professorat
Mason Law School. more
Shame in Today’s Society – What it Means and Why
Medical Daily
11/9/14 – June Tangney, author of Shame in the Therapy Hour and professor of
psychology at Mason told Medical Daily that when a person feels guilty, they say, "Idid
a bad thing." When they feel shame, they say, "I am a bad person for having done that."
more
Best Immigration Policy is More Immigration
Bloomberg View
11/10/14 – Quoting an op-ed from Tyler Cowen of the Mercatus Center. more
End of “Too Big to Fail”
CBS News
11/11/14 – Financial regulators say proposed industry rule will prevent 2008 style
banking panics. "The call for higher capital requirements is an attempt to make bank
investors more responsible for the risks banks take," said Seth Miller, a seniorresearch
fellow at the Mercatus Institute. He said that the FSB rules would place morepressure
on bank stockholders and bondholders to prevent risky lending activities. In Miller's
view, that's preferable to counting on the federal government. more
Defining “Natural” is a Waste of FDA Resources
New York Times
11/11/14 – The Food and Drug Administration would have to spend a few years and
thousands of human hours defining “natural” when it comes to food. And since most of
what people want to avoid by eating "natural" food has no basis in science, the F.D.A.
should not get involved, wrote Richard Williams of the Mercatus Center. more
Can an Algorithm Tell Us Who Influenced an Artist?
Washington Post
11/11/14 – Rutgers scientists are training a computer to instantly do what would takeart
historians years as part of a broad effort to apply computer science to the humanities.
This is a growing field. The Getty Foundation in Los Angeles provides grants to
researchers in digital art history; George Mason University’s Roy Rosenzweig Center
for History and New Media, one of the recipients, received $155,000. more
1
Universal Pre-K, Overhyped or Silver Bullet?
DesertNews.com
11/12/14 – The latest spark in this debate comes from David Armor, an emeritus
professor of Public Policy at George Mason University, who just published a policy
analysis with the libertarian Cato Institute challenging the research behind the pre-K
consensus. more
Obama Must Deliver at Climate Fundraiser in Berlin
Responding to Climate Change.org
11/12/14 – Gwynne Taraska, senior policy advisor at the Center for American Progress and the
research director of the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy at George Mason University,
wrote: After this week’s historic climate change pact with China, the Obama administration willhave
another post-midterm election opportunity to demonstrate to the world its determination to continue leading
in the fight against climate change. more
Companies Criticized for Paying to Freeze Workers’Eggs
Arkansas Catholic
11/12/14 – Helen Alvare, a professor at George Mason University School of Law, and a
formerprolife spokeswoman for the U.S. bishops’ conference, said she sees the tech companies’ announcement as “a
gimmick, an image strategy on their part” at the expense of women and children. more
Obama’s Ebola Response Political not Responsible
Roanoke.com
11/13/14 – writes Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus Center. more
Regulators Curb Financial Risks at U.S. Servicers
Bloomberg
11/13/14 – “If a nonbank servicer fails, of course it’s going to be a headache, but that
doesn’t mean we need to start regulating them as if that failure is going to bring downthe
economy,” said Hester Peirce, who was an attorney for the Senate Banking Committee
and the Securities and Exchange Commission before becoming a research fellow at
George Mason University. “Regulators bring with them their own limitations, andwhen
they begin micro-managing an industry, it can make things worse.” more
Challenger Banks Will Feel Challenged
Financial Times
11/14/14 – The diversity of banks in the US, where this columnist temporarily resides, is
cited as a target to aim for. But here, a Big Five has increased its share of banking assets
from 30 per cent in 2000 to 47 per cent at the end of 2013, according to George Mason
University. Scale advantages count. More
Net Neutrality and the Future of the Internet
Heartland.Org
11/14/14 – The Mercatus Center, a research and outreach organization that promotes
market-oriented solutions from George Mason University, did a presentation on net
neutrality. The speaker, research fellow in the technology policy program Brent
Skorup, gave a wide overview. more
2
ORED Media Report, 11/7/14
Pressuring Employess to Perform is Sure to Backfire
Inc. Com
11/7/14 – New research finds the global work force is more stressed out than everbefore,
leading to decreased retention rates, disengagement, and poor productivity. But creating
social mores and policies that produce positive emotions and positive work environments
helps. Wharton management professor Sigal Barsade and George Mason University
assistant professor Mandy O'Neill say that employees perform better in cultures of
"compassionate love" than in cultures of stress and pressure. more
Sense of Purpose May Extend Your Life
Philly.com
11/7/14 – James Maddux, university professor emeritus of psychology at Mason
University in Fairfax, Va., said such study findings make sense. “…people with a sense
of purpose want to be around for a long time, and in good shape. They take care of their
health…” more
America’s Secret Double Government
Center for Research on Globalization
11/7/14 – In 2009 Janine Wedel, an anthropology professor at George Mason
University, published Shadow Elite. more
Will Tuition Ever Stop Increasing
Fox Business
11/6/14 – Don’t hold your breath according to a study by the Pew Center for Research.
One of the problems is that the availability of student loans allowed colleges to continue
to increase tuition without seeing a decrease in demand, according to Veronique de
Rugy, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center. more
Apostles of Growth
The Nation
11/6/14 – As the Great Recession unfolded, soul-searching among economists over their
discipline’s failures was widespread. Predicting an end to growth has become something
of a cottage industry among economists. Tyler Cowen of George Mason University
advanced the case in 2011 with his book The Great Stagnation, and his prognostication
won further support from his colleague Robert Gordon’s work heralding, in the title of
one recent paper, “The Demise of U.S. Economic Growth.” more
What’s the link between Intelligence and Confidence
World Economic Forum
11/6/14 – Apparently scientific research confirms the poet Yeat’s assertion “The best
lack all conviction and the worst are full of passionate intensity,” showing that the
ignorant over estimate their knowledge and performance. For this reason that Ed
Maibach and colleagues, from the Centre for Climate ChangeCommunication
have recently called on climate scientists to set the record straight and inform the public
that there is a scientific consensus that human-caused climate change is happening. more
Honored at Mason
Virginia Connection Newspapers
11/5/14 – McLean resident and former Rector of George Maso C. Daniel Clemente
receives Mason Medal. He initiated a standing committee on the Mason Board for
funded research endeavors. more
Midterms: Economic Measures Won’t Escape Gridlock
International Business Times
11/5/14 – Veronique de Rugy, senior research fellow of the U.S. economy andfederal
budget at George Mason University's libertarian-minded Mercatus ... more
Berkeley Breaks Through on Soda Tax
Politico
11/5/14 – Berkeley did what more than two dozen other cities and states tried and failed
to do in recent years: put in place a punitive tax on sugar-sweetened beveragesdesigned
to reduce consumption and raise revenue. Baylen Linnekin, executive director of the
Keep Food Legal Foundation and an adjunct professor at Mason Law School, doubts
that a sin tax will do much to improve health outcomes. more
Study Aims to Shorten Election Day
MIT News
11/4/14 – MIT project includes researchers at Mason and other colleges across the
country. more
Students want Koch, Corporate Influence Off Campus
Inside Higher Ed, Chronicle of Philanthropy
11/4/14 – more
Virginia’s Incentive Money Drying Up
Daily Press
11/4/14 – Matthew Mitchell, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center said
incentive grants are problematic because they give the most well-connected companiesan
unfair advantage. The deals also tend to favor companies "most likely to pull up stakes
and leave," he said. more
Post Election 2014 – Easing Research Regulation
Sciencemag.org/Science Insider
11/3/14 – Universities want to ease what they say is an increasingly heavy, andcostly,
federal regulatory burden on academic research. They want the government to follow
their accounting methods. Three years ago, the Federal Demonstration Partnership—an
alliance of nine federal agencies and more than 120 research institutions that works to
minimize paperwork and administrative costs—took up the idea. The result was the
experiment launched at Michigan Tech and three other campuses: George Mason
University, and the Irvine and Riverside campuses of the University of California(UC).
more
Guilt Versus Shame: One Works, One Doesn’t
Wall Street Journal
11/3/14 – A study of criminals, published in the journal Psychological Science in March
2014, found those who felt guilty were less likely to break the law again than thosewho
felt no guilt. “Guilt is a useful emotion, It pushes people to repair the harm they did,”
says June P. Tangney, lead author of the study and a professor of psychology at
Mason. “But feelings of shame about oneself seem to motivate people more to want to
hide, escape, deny or a lot of times to blame other people.” more
Coffee: Good or Bad for You
Bring Me the News
10/23/14 – More than half of all U.S. adults drink coffee; it’s the most widely used drug
in the world. Experts have plenty of pro and con research and folk wisdom, but Coffee
appears to protect the growing number of Americans who have Non-Alcoholic Fatty
Liver Disease. “No one really knows how caffeine works on [fatty liver disease],” Mason
researcher Zobair Younossi told Mason Research magazine. There might be a
component in caffeine that reduces liver inflammation, he said, or maybe caffeine has an
antioxidant effect. more
ORED Media Report, Oct. 10-23, 2014
Oct 23, 2014
Head of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Resigns to Teach atGW
In The Capital
Formerly a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and locally at GeorgeMason University, Macfarlane
says she's ready to return to her ...
Urban Land Institute Brings Its Fresh Ideas to City's New Land
Falls Church News Press
Their team was composed of Bob Wulff, chair of the center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship at George Mason
University…
Oct 22, 2014
The 25 Best College Professors In America
Business Insider
Christopher Atwater George Mason University Top Professor Alexis Glenn/George Mason Universit, George
Mason University management professor ...
George Mason's Christopher Atwater Is One of the Most Popular Professors in the Nation - In The Capital
Most US universities continue partnerships with Confucius Institute
CCTV-America
Gao Qing, the director of the Confucius Institute at George Mason University, said their university continuesto
welcome the institute. Two U.S. educational institutions, the University of Chicago and Penn State University recently
ended their partnerships with the Confucius Institute program. The decision to cut ties comes after the American
Association of University Professors said in June that universities “have sacrificed the integrity of the university and
its academic staff” by allowing the Chinese government to supervise curriculum and staff at the Institutes.
'Overworked, underpaid, andundersupported'
ScienceCareers.org
Now a 66-page report by three sociology graduate students at George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, Virginia,
shows in copious detail how ...
Oct 20, 2014
Get Schooled 10/19: Education News You Missed Out On ThisWeek
In The Capital
A group of George Mason University students conducted a study on adjunct faculty that may be the "most
comprehensive study of one institution's ..
Oct 19, 2014
Women's Soccer Hosts Game One Of DoubleheaderSaturday
Campus Insiders
Loyola is looking for its first win against Boston University. ... Wahlig guided the defense to a 2-0 shutout victory
over George Mason, proving to be a ...
2014
Oct 17, 2014
Operation Protective Edge: Legal and Political Implications of ICC Prosecution (George
Mason ...
Jadaliyya
George Mason University's Middle East Studies Program, Global Programs, New Century College (NCC) and the
Trans-Arab Research Institute ...
Global tragedy, local passivity
N.C. State University Technician Online
Robin Hanson, an associate professor of economics at George Mason University, said “since we are moreidealistic
in far mode, our ideals favor and ...
Oct 16, 2014
Marylanders want more solar, wind power
Baltimore Sun (blog)
The survey by George Mason University comes as environmental activists prepare to launch a campaign to press
Maryland lawmakers to double the ...
Altamira Technologies Corporation Expands in Cyber Operations Domain
Rock Hill Herald (press release)
nd
... the northeast participated in Altamira's 2 annual Cyber Capture the Flag Hackathon at George Mason
University's Nguyen Engineering building.
Navy, Marine Corps Students to Join 'Enlisted-to-Medical-Degree Preparatory Program'
Newswise (press release)
Candidates attend school full-time at George Mason University-Prince William (GMU-PW) campus in Manassas,
Va., to prepare them to apply to ...
Oct 15, 2014
Health care cartels limit Americans' options: Column
USA TODAY
A new study from George Mason University's Mercatus Center finds that the laws restrict access to healthcare
while slowing the adoption of new .
Top Colorado University Cutting Student Work Hours Due To Obamacare
Washington Free Beacon
A study released October 7 by George Mason University called the Obamacare-imposed limit “an explicit tax onfulltime work” and “implicit tax that ..
Oct 12, 2014
George Mason is Now Represented in Congress
In The Capital
A George Mason University law school graduate is the first alumnus to serve in Congress. David Jolly, JD '01, won
representation of Florida's 13th ...
ArtistShare Founder and CEO Speaks at George Mason UniversityIntellectual
Property Conference
PR.com (press release)
New York, NY, October 11, 2014 --(PR.com)-- George Mason University's Center for the Protection of Intellectual
Property (CPIP) Conference, ...
Oct 11, 2014
Two George Mason Students Create Magnetic Phone Case For Athletes[Video]
In The Capital
I may have found my match now, though, thanks to a new smartphone accessory out of George Mason
University live on Kickstarter. Going by the...
Oct 10, 2014
Survey of Adjuncts at George Mason U. Finds Big Gaps in Training and Pay
Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription) (blog)
Authors: Marisa Allison, Victoria Hoverman, and Randy Lynn, all of whom are doctoral students in sociology
at George Mason University and have
..
Bite of Science at George Mason University to Strengthen Science Teaching
PR.com (press release)
This Bite of Science session is kindly hosted by George Mason University College of Science, located at 4400
University Drive in Fairfax, Virginia in ...
ORED Media Report 10.10.14
Shift in Alexandria Job Market
Connection
10/3/14 – Research from the Center for Regional Analysis at Mason theorizes that thenumber
of lower wage health care industry jobs in the D.C. area will eventually outweigh hiring bythe
federal government. more
Americans Want to Boot California From the Union
Reason.com
10/3/14 – According to the Mercatus Center’s Freedom in the 50 states, an analysis that ranks
states by the policies that shape economic and personal freedom, California ranks at 49 inoverall
freedom. more
American TV Cameraman Infected with Ebola Transported to Nebraska
CCTV
10/5/14 – Kathryn Jacobsen, a global and community health professor at Mason whohas
conducted research in Sierra Leone, is interviewed on the Ebola epidemic. more
Mason Professors Win Virginia Center of Aging Grant
Connection
10/5/14 – Grants from the Alzheimer’s and Related Diseases Research Award Fund were
awarded to Joseph Pancrazio, chair of the Department of Bioengineering, and Robin Couch,
an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, to further their
studies on ways to defeat or slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. more
Cheers to Big Food
Savannah Morning News, Appeal-Democrat, TwinCities
10/6/14 – Richard Williams, vice president for policy research with the MercatusCenter,
writes on the food industry’s recent accomplishments of helping decrease caloric intake. more
Louisiana’s Estuaries Boast Shrimp Abundance After Oil Spill
Fish Info & Services, Energy Voice, Daily Comet
10/6/14 – Joris L. van der Ham and Kim de Mutsert, professors with Mason’s Department
of Environmental Science and Policy, found that after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill,
white and brown shrimp species have become more abundant in Louisiana’s coastal estuaries.
more
AppVet speeds Mobile Devices, Apps to the Battlefield
GCN
10/7/14 – The National Institute of Standards and Technology collaborated with Mason on the
project AppVet, a framework that speeds the testing workflow with a user friendly interface for
submitting apps, assessing risk, and accessing reports. more
Some Ebola Experts Worry Virus May Spread More Easily Than Assumed
Norwalk Reflector, The Dominion Post
10/7/14 – Charles Bailey, director of National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases
at Mason, questions the assertion that Ebola cannot be transmitted through the air. After
studying the Ebola strain found in monkeys, he found that “those monkeys were dying in a
pattern that was certainly suggestive of coughing and sneezing – some sort of aerosol
movement.” more
The U.S. Leads the World in Nobel Laureates
Mic
10/8/14 – A study by researchers at Mason found that foreign-born scientists areoverrepresented among American Laureates. more
Survey Finds Big Gaps in Training and Pay
The Chronicle of Higher Education
10/9/14 – Marisa Allison, Victoria Hoverman and Randy Lynn, three doctoral studentsat
Mason, conducted a survey of Mason’s contingent faculty members. more
Congress Shouldn’t Renew Export-Import Bank’s Charter
The Bellingham Herald
10/9/14 – Boeing is the most vocal proponent of Export-Import Bank reauthorization becauseit
is the largest beneficiary of the export subsidies. Veronique de Rugy, a senior researchfellow
at the Mercatus Center, found that sixty five percent of all Ex-Im Bank loanguarantees
financed Boeing exports. more
ORED Media Report 9.19.14
U.S. Health System Among Least Efficient Before Obamacare
Bloomberg
9/17/14 – The U.S. health-•-care system was among the least efficient in the developed world two
years before major changes from Obamacare began to go into effect. But Singapore was among the
highest ranked in a Bloomberg study. The country ranked highly because Singaporeans take on
“significant cost sharing,” said Len Nichols, director of the Center for Health Policy Research
and Ethics at Mason. m o re
Alibaba Post-IPO Structure Gives Insiders Control
Top Tech News
9/19/14 – Research suggests such arrangements enrich insiders at the expense of shareholders.
In a 2009 study, Fei Xie of George Mason University found dual--•class companies tend to pay CEOs
and manager more and deliver less value to shareholders. more
State Benefits – Help or Harm?
TheGardenIsland.com
9/19/19 – Mercatus Center Research questions the concept. Take, for example, Wal-•-M art which is
one company particularly mentioned in the study. The study states that it has received at least 260
special benefits in the United States worth over $1.2 billion in total. Those subsidies help Wal--•M art,
but hurt its competitors. more
Hong Kong and China – One Country, Two Histories
The Diplomat
9/19/14 – Two histories that don’t sit comfortably are taught in Hong Kong schools. One central
way in which the education system can shape the way we view our society is through the studyof
our shared history. Karina Korostelina, an expert in political psychology at George Mason
argues “teaching about history develops the meanings of current situations and affairs, and playsa
major role in the formation of the concepts of the society.” more
Home Cooked Dinner – Not All That
Washington Post
9/19/14 – Despite nostalgia researchers find that family dinners are often “anxiety meals”after
interviewing 150 low-•- income and middle class mothers or grandmothers and closely observing 12
working class families in a research project for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Todd Kashdan,
a Mason psychologist who studies happiness, social anxiety and character strengths, said what
children really need in order to grow is unconditional love, a secure base, a safe haven and time to
play on their own. m ore
Social Art ~ Collaborating with Communities via George Mason University
Bucks County Courier Times
9/19/14 – The Floating Lab Collective, was started by a group of artists in 2007 in partnership
with Provisions Library, an arts and social change research and development centerat
Mason. Their art responds to specific places, communities, issues and circumstances. FLC artists
move across visual art, performance, new media, and publications to engage and integrate such
social topics as housing, the environment, migration, labor and urban mobility. To date, over 50
groundbreaking community projects have been produced in the Baltimore-Washing-ton, New
York, Mexico City, Detroit Louisville Medellin (Colombia) and Port of Spain (Trinidad). more
The Debt Deniers who Threaten America’s Future
The Hill
9/12/14 – Richard Williams, vice president for policy research with the Mercatus Center,
writes on the serious problem of government debt. more
Tea Party Targets an Agency that Actually Reduces the Deficit
Forbes
9/12/14 – Tea Party conservatives want to shut down the Export-Import Bank because they sayit
disproportionately benefits big corporations. Research from the Mercatus Center found that 76
percent of Ex-Im’s financial assistance in fiscal 2013 went to big corporations like GE, Bechtel
and Boeing. more
Why the Economic Gender Gap Will Eventually Close
The Upshot
9/13/2014 – Tyler Cowen, economics professor at Mason, writes on the narrowing ofthe
gender gap between men and women. more
Researchers Dub CFPB Consumer Complaint Database Unlawful
Reverse Mortgage Daily
9/14/14 – Researchers from the Financial Markets Working Group at the Mercatus Center
are questioning the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) proposed consumer
complaint narrative database. In a letter to CFPB’s Office of the Executive Secretary Monica
Jackson, senior research fellow Hester Price and research assistant Vera Soliman,describe
why the initiative is inappropriate. more
State Leaders Should Reject LEED Certification
Oregonlive
9/14/14 – The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s (LEED) standards in a
construction project will only accept timber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council; this
drives up a LEED building’s cost. EconSTATS, a Mason research organization, estimatesthat
the cost of forcing state landowners to manage their land in accord with the Forest Stewardship
Council standards can cost up to 31,000 jobs. more
Why You Should Let Your Employees Eat Chocolate
Ozy
9/15/14 – Mason researchers found that the level of “companionate” happiness at work boosts
productivity. more
Maryland Faces Worse Climate-Driven Flooding
The Baltimore Sun, WBOC 16
9/15/14 – Rising sea level will increase storms in Maryland. A survey done by Mason
researchers found that many people in Maryland are unsure if sea-level rise is happening, butdo
understand that extreme temperatures and more severe storms are likely the result of climate
change. more
UA School of Social Work Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
UA News
9/16/14 – National experts on social work will visit the University of Alabama’s School of
Social Work. On October 13 Miriam Raskin, Mason professor of social work, will discuss
“Contemporary Issues in Field Education.” more
Media, Activism and the New Political: Istanbul Conversations
Jadaliyya
9/16/14 – A roundtable discussion on media, activism, and left politics within and across the
Middle East through East Asia brought together scholars from a range of disciplines, including
Bassam Haddad, Mason professor of Middle East studies. more
Need Stressed to Strengthen Research
Pakistan Observer
9/16/14 – Mahtab Karim, Mason research professor of the School of Public Policy,remarks
on the importance of actively using research findings. more
Prosthetics Meet 3D Printers
Today’s Medical Developments
9/16/14 – Thought leaders in medicine, industry and public policy will meet on September 28 at
Johns Hopkins Hospital for a conference on inexpensive 3D-printed prosthetics. Robert
Graboyes, Adam Thierer, and Richard Williams, policy analysts from the Mercatus
Center, will speak on the role that innovation such as 3D printing plays in deliveringaffordable
healthcare. more
What Will It Take to Create Climate Justice
Truthout
9/16/14 – The climate movement has high levels of public support for taking action on climate
change. A Mason and Yale study found Americans were twice as likely to support a candidate
who strongly supports action to reduce global warming. Yet, the climate change movement is
unable to move the economic system to respond to the climate crisis. more
Paul Krugman is Wrong Today
Town Hall
9/16/14 – In a recent study, researchers from the Center for Climate Change
Communication at Mason surveyed over one thousand Americans to find out whateffect
offensive online comments have on the public understanding of science. more
Patients Have Limited Access to Imaging
Diagnostic Imaging
9/17/14 – Researchers from numerous universities, including Mason, undertook a studyto
identify the availability and range of imaging services at critical access hospitals in the United
States. more
Recession-proof? Not this Town
Washington Post
9/18/14 – While other cities are climbing back from the recession, Washington D.C. is slipping
backwards. Stephen Fuller, a specialist in the local economy at Mason’s Center forRegional
Analysis, comments on D.C.’s current economic state. more
Greater Washington Economy Contracts More Than Expected in 2013
Washington Business Journal
9/18/14 – The Washington economy performed worse in 2013 than it did during the recession.
“It’s the confluence of declines in federal spending in contracting and wages that has ripped
through the private sector,” said Jeannette Chapman, a Center for Regional Analysis
research associate. more
Vote to Reauthorize Ex-Im Bank
Go Erie
9/18/14 – The Export-Import Bank has direct effect on employment in many areas. “Lobbyists
try to conceal the facts, but there is no hiding the truth: The business of Ex-Im Bank is big
business,” wrote Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center.more
ORED Media Report 9.12.14
Rights Group Accuses Israel of War Crimes in Gaza
Al Jazeera America
9/11/14 – Human Rights Watch report comes a day after Israeli ministry announced its own
criminal probe. Noura Erakat, assistant professor at George Mason University and a human
rights expert, told Al Jazeera that by deciding to investigate itself, "Israel is seeking todiminish
international scrutiny" of its most recent assault on the Gaza Strip. more
Craigslist Scammers Mainly Traced to Nigerian Gangs
Inforsecurity Magazine
9/12/14 – George Mason University researchers Damon McCoy and Jackie Jones compiled
the report, titled The Check is in the Mail: Monetization of Craigslist Buyer Scams, to be
presented at the APWG Symposium on Electronic Crime Research in Birmingham, Alabama
later this month. more
Stop Pretending Liberals Are as Anti-Science as Conservatives
Grist
9/12/14 – According to recent data from the Yale and George Mason projects on climate change
communication, for instance, 75 percent of liberal Democrats, but only 22 percent of
conservative Republicans, accept the reality that humans are causing climate change. more
Koch Foundation – Millions for Libertarian Ideology
The Daily Beast
9/12/14 – The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news
organization in Washington, D.C. says Koch money comes with strings and profs and students
are aghast. Mason leads the pack of recipients for economic research followed by Florida State.
more
Mason Addiction Expert to Speak at UB
UB Reporter
9/11/14 – National experts on addiction and treatment will visit the University of Buffalo’s
Research Institute on Addictions beginning Sept. 17th when Faye S. Taxman, Mason professor
of criminology, will discuss “researching How Justice-Involved People Change: An Agendato
Understand Programming, Sequencing and Timing Effects.” more
Record Donations to Area Colleges
Washington Post
9/12/14 – It was a good year for college development. George Mason was not at the top of the
list but this donation was noted in the article. “George Mason University (public): $15.49
million, the valuation of land donated by the Van Metre Companies. Announced December
2009.” more
Recession Ripple Persists in Real Estate
Virginia Connection Newspapers
9/11/14 -- “There’s no question the primary economic driver of this region has always been
Uncle Sam,” said David Versal, senior research associate at the George Mason University
Center for Regional Analysis. “That said, we’re not Detroit.” He said that to members of the
Northern Virginia Association of Realtors at their economic summit held in the Mason Inn a year
ago.This year those remarks haunted the whole room. “In 2013, job growth ground to a halt,” he
said at the event last Thursday. “July [2013] to July [2014], net was about 20,000 jobs in our
region. Who do we come closest to?”The stunned conference hall full of Realtors, seeing his
slide, answered in unison: “Detroit.” more
Immigrants Hold Key Jobs in U.S. Pharmaceutical Sector
India West
9/5/14 – A study by Mason’s Institute for Immigration Research shows that “while the
foreign-born make up just 13% of the U.S. population, they hold about 17% of the jobs in the
U.S. pharmaceutical industry.” more
U.S. Intelligence Community Explores More Rigorous Ways to Forecast Events
The Wall Street Journal
9/5/14 – The U.S. intelligence community is running tournaments that invite people outside the
community to develop more efficient ways to forecast world events. ForeST, led by Mason’s
SciCast team, tracks developments in the fields of science and technology. This may help
identify advances in weapons systems, emerging technologies in bioterrorism or cyberthreats.
more
State-Provided Targeted Benefits: Help or Harm
West Hawaii Today
9/7/14 – Research published by the Mercatus Center raises the question about whether targeted
benefits from state governments help or hurt. more
Acknowledge Unseen Victims of Export-Import Bank Deals and Shut It Down
TBO
9/8/14 – Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center writes onthe
future of the Export-Import Bank. more
Just Five Gangs in Nigeria are Behind Most Craigslist Buyer Scams
PC World Magazine, Naked Security, Computerworld
9/8/14 – A new study by Mason assistant professors Damon McCoy and Jackie Jones, found
that most scams targeting sellers on Craigslist are done by only five Nigerian criminal gangs. “I
think the most surprising thing was the number of people in the U.S. participating in thisscam,”
said McCoy. more
Ex-Im Bank Favors Big Business
The South Coast Today, The Californian
9/9/14 – Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, writes onthe
Ex-Im bank’s favoring of big business. more
Drone Data Adds a New Horizon for Big Data Analytics
InfoQ
9/10/14 – A new horizon in data storage, transfer infrastructure and data processing software will
arise from the usage of data generated by drones in big data and operation analytics, according to
Kirk Borne, professor of Astrophysics and Computational Science at Mason. more
Four Years Ago Half of Baby Boomers were Interested in Texting for Health
Mobihealth News
9/10/14 – In a recently published survey, researchers from several universities, including
researchers from Mason, were interested in which technologies the baby boomers are most
willing to use to manage their health. The survey also looked at the difference between baby
boomers and the younger generation as well as the older generation. more
Recession Ripple Persists’ at Realtors’ Summit
The Connection
9/11/14 – David Versel, a senior research associate at the Center for Regional Analysis,
presented his findings at this year’s Northern Virginia Association of Realtors economic summit.
“The economy has been bad. Yet in spite of all of this, we’re all still here,” said Versal. more
Stop Pretending that Liberals are Just as Anti-Science as Conservatives
Mother Jones
9/11/14 – Both the political left and the political right have ignored and denied scientificfacts.
According to recent data from Yale and Mason project’s on climate change communication, 75
percent of liberal Democrats and 22 percent of conservative Republicans accept that humans are
causing climate change. more
CFPB should not Create Open Consumer-Complaint Database
HousingWire
9/11/14 – In an open letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Hester Peirce, a
senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center and research assistant Vera Soliman cometo
the conclusion that the CFPB’s consumer complaint narrative database is unlawful, unfair,
prohibitively expensive, and distracts the bureau from its mission. more
Is the Housing Market Hurting
Fairfax Times
9/11/14 – Fairfax County’s local housing market is most likely stabilizing. “Our job growth has
been really weak this year. The fact that the housing market is even flat is positive,” said David
Versel, senior research associate at the Center for Regional Analysis. more
ORED Media Report 9/5/14
Ex-Im Bank Scores Poorly on Transparency for Taxpayer-Subsidized Loans
Watchdog
9/1/14 – The Export-Import Bank has failed at transparency for recent transactions. Veronique
De Rugy, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, said that in her own research she
has found “billions and billions of dollars” not properly accounted for. more
A Case for Attacking Economic Inequality
TwinCities
9/1/14 – In the debate over rising economic inequality a new position of conservatives is to focus
on better educating the poor so they can earn more. “The returns to growth are going generally to
people with high I.Q.,” said Tyler Cowen, a professor at George Mason. more
Back to School on Sales Tax Holidays
U.S. News
9/2/14 – A recent study from the Mercatus Center demonstrates why institutingtax-free
holidays is even worse for taxpayers. more
How Much of a Job Creator is IP
Managing Intellectual Property
9/3/14 – An interesting debate over intellectual property’s effect on job creation has occurred
between the Mercatus Center and the Center for the Projection of Intellectual Property.
Both institutes have released report’s expressing their viewpoints. more
Charles Koch’s Brain
Politico Magazine
9-10/2014 – Reminiscence on Richard Fink’s and Charles Koch’s founding of the Mercatus
Center at Mason. more
Ex-Im Bank Hurts U.S. Companies
Detroit News
9/4/14 – Op-Ed by Veronique de Rugy of Mercatus. more
George Mason University Professor James L. Olds to head Biological Sciences Directorate
National Science Foundation (press release)
9/3/14 -- The NSF selected Mason’s James L. Olds to serve as assistant director for the Directorate for
Biological Sciences (BIO). BIO's mission is to enable discoveries for understanding life. BIO-supported
research advances the frontiers of biological knowledge, increases our understanding of complexsystems,
and provides a theoretical basis for original research in many other scientific disciplines. Olds is a
director and chief academic unit officer at the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, a position he has
held for 15 years. He is also the Shelley Krasnow University Professor of Molecular Neuroscience. The
international Decade of the Mind project was begun under his leadership at Krasnow, which helpedshape
President Obama's BRAIN Initiative. more
NIST Team Honored for Work on Military Smartphone Apps, Security
National Journal
9/3/14 – Researchers from Mason were part of this DARPA team. more
Mason Partners with TheDream US to Aid Undocumented Students
Fairfax News
8/28/14 – Article mentions that Mason is the Virginia’s largest research university. more
Screen Time Tied to Kids’ Success
Concho Valley Homepage.com
9/1/14 – Mason psychology researchers participated in a study to be published in the Journal of
Family Psychology that links the amount of time spent in front of electronic screens – computers,
tablets, television, smart phones, etc. – to children’s academic success as well as ADHD. more
Domestic Violence On the Rise Among Syrian Refugees
New York Times
8/29/14 -- Domestic violence has long been an issue in Syria, traditionally a patriarchal country.
“You have men who had impact and status in their community – and suddenly all that
disappears,” says Fred Bemak, Professor in the Counseling and Development Programand
Director of the Diversity Research and Action Center at Mason and a founder of Counselors
without Borders, which sends psychiatrists into the field to work with Syrian refugees. more
ORED Media Report 8/29/14
Unmanned Systems Experts Convene at Navy Tech Exchange
Southern Maryland Online News
8/29/14 -- 175 experts from the military, academia and private industry met to share information
on the acquisition, ethics and operational lessons of research on unmanned systems including
representatives from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Pennsylvania State
University Applied Research Laboratory, Morgan State University, Old Dominion University,
George Mason University, University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University Applied
Physics Laboratory. more
Interested in Bitcoin?
CL Charlotte: The Clog
8/27/14
Jerry Brito, senior research fellow, Mercatus and director of its Technology Policy
Program, knows Bitcoin inside and out. In a recent interview with Vice, Brito explained that it
is a digital currency — think Facebook credits, frequent flyer miles, Microsoft points — that is
decentralized. more
Obama Wanted to End This ‘Corporate Welfare’ Program When He Campaigned
The Blaze
8/23/14 – Research from the Mercatus Center described the downside of Ex-Im. Thearticle
notes Obama’s changing opinion of the Ex-Im Bank. more
Bank Fight Points to Bigger Battle Over Trade
Wall Street Journal
8/24/14 – The future of the Export-Import Bank represents a larger battle over economicpolicy.
While the closure of the bank may impact the price of credit, “that would be a small price for a
fairer marketplace,” said Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus
Center. more
Washington Job Market Lags the Rest of the Country
Washington Post
8/24/14 – The Washington area is currently plagued with excess real estate, federal spending
cuts, and an underdeveloped job market. “This dependence, which served the economy so well
historically, is now an albatross,” said a Mason economist at the Center for Regional
Analysis, Stephen Fuller. more
Offshore Archaeology
Oil & Gas Journal
8/25/14 – The US Bureau of Offshore Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and
Environmental Enforcement enlisted C&C Technologies Inc. and other researchers to examine
the oil spilled in the 2010 Macondo well blowout. Their aim is determine the impact on
organisms living on shipwrecks nearby. Researchers from Mason are among the list. more
Genetics of Multi-Tasking
Betaboston.com
8/26/14 –As the Air Force is struggles to adjust its staff’s skill to match the needs of the new
technology drones present – researchers are confronting the question of whether some people are
better suited to remote piloting than others through genetic research. Raja Parasuraman, lead
researcher on the study said the research could help design better training protocols, but others
caution that genetic screening by the military could open an ethical Pandora’s box. more
Do Home Prices Indicate the Next Bubble?
HousingWire
8/26/14 – The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s home price index indicates that United States
house prices rose during the second quarter of 2014. But consumers are slowly losing their
ability to finance homes as price appreciation continues to outpace wages. Anthony Sanders,
Mason professor of real estate finance, notes the issue of wage and income stagnation’s effect
on housing. “It is a shame that home price growth is 8.10% while average wage growth is onlya
dismal 2%,” said Sander. more
US State Sales Tax Hikes Often Mean Little Extra Revenue
Tax-News
8/27/14 – The Mercatus Center issued a paper advising state governments against raisingthe
tax rate. Such an increase may not generate the additional tax revenues expected. more
State Licensing Boards Under Fire From Within
Wall Street Journal
8/27/14 – This fall the Supreme Court will hear an antitrust case that has the potential to curb the
proliferation of state licenses. Todd Zywicki, a Mason law professor, said that most licensing
challenges begin “with the members of the protected industry demanding that the states shut
down their competitors.” more
For Time Warner Cable, More Network Means More Problems
Fortune
8/28/14 – The desire to combine Comcast and Time Warner Cable may produce unexpected
problems. Today’s network infrastructure may not be able to support the increasing amounts of
bandwidth. “It is all about the data, the big data, which is increasing exponentially. Year on year,
the amount of data is increasing at a rate somewhere between 60 and 100 percent per annum.
That means that we are moving around at least 1,000 times more data every ten years,” said
Mason professor Kirk Borne. more
Media Report 8.22.14
New $678 million telescope project at Penn State
Penn State News
8/21/14 – LSST project activities are supported through a partnership between the
National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy. NSF supports LSST
through a Cooperative Agreement managed by the Association of Universities for
Research in Astronomy (AURA). The effort managed by the Department of Energyis
managed by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC). Additional LSST
funding comes from private donations, grants to universities, and in-kind support from
Institutional Members of LSSTC – including Mason among a long list. more
Combining Vaccines Boost Polio Immunity
AP
8/22/14 -- New research suggests a one-•-two punch could help battle polio in some of
the world's most remote and strife-•- torn regions:
Some US colleges calling students back from Israel
AP
8/22/14 – Some U.S. colleges are pulling students from overseas study programs in Israel
as the Gaza war rages. On the one hand, we want to introduce students to the dimensions
of conflict," said Yehuda Lukacs, director of the Center for Global Education at
Mason. "But this was too much because their safety and security were challenged."
Manhattan Gets First Bitcoin ATM
The Epoch Times
8/22/14 -- Manhattan’s first Bitcoin ATM, or BTM, launched Thursday at Flat 128, a
luxury lifestyle store in the West Village. Eli Dourado, a research fellow at George
Mason University and Bitcoin enthusiast, says he is “somewhat baffled by the Bitcoin
ATM phenomenon. They’re like cellular payphones—possible, but then again thewhole
point of cell phones is that everyone can have their own,” Dourado wrote in an
email interview. “Very few people would use a cash ATM on the street if they
could load up their wallets with cash from their bank accounts at home any time they
wanted.” more
Militarized Policing Doesn’t Work
News Week
8/22/14 – The best studies on this topic com from the Center for Evidence-Based Crime
Policy at Mason. This group, oft consulted by law enforcement experts nationwide,
transforms research on police tactics into a data matrix, showing in an user friendly
graphic which among more than 100 tactics and techniques work, broken down by
circumstances involving individuals, groups, small places, neighborhoods and
jurisdiction. more
Ex-Rep. Tom Davis named GMU Rector
Fairfax News
8/22/14 –Mason’s next rector is former U.S. Representative Tom Davis. Davis, who
served seven terms in Congress representing Northern Virginia voters, was elected byhis
colleagues on George Mason’s Board of Visitors to lead the 16-member board. more
Shuttering Ex-Im Bank good for Arizona
Arizona Republic
8/21/14 – Veronique de Rugy, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, writes
Letting the Export-Import Bank expire is just good economics for Arizonans. more
Do Higher Minimum Wages Increase Jobs?
Wall Street Journal
8/21/14 – Rachel Mace, Mason economics student, co-authored an op-ed questioning
this premise.
Elizabeth Warren Backs Big-Bank Subsidies
Boston Herald
8/21/14 – Sen. Elizabeth Warren has made a name for herself as a populist who talks
tough about Wall Street and other large corporations. But recently, Warren confirmed
that she is renewing her support for the Export-Import Bank. Veronique De Rugy ofthe
Mercatus Center rants in an op-ed. more
7 Things for Ambulatory Service Center Leaders to Know
Beckersasc.com
8/21/14 – Recent research from the Mercatus Center challenges the economic logic
behind certificates of need. The CON study analyzed data on CONs, healthcare
productivity and economic impact from the Healthcare Cost Report Information System,
American Hospital Association and American Health Planning Association. Read thefull
report on Becker's ASC Review.
Real World Undermines Silicon Valley’s Apolitical Fantasy
Washington Post (blog)
8/20/14 – Mason researcher Adam Thierer, senior research fellow Mercatus, says
most of the time, tech companies would simply rather disengage from the squabbling
that's characteristic of Congress and city hall. He calls this the principle of
"permissionless innovation": When businesses don't have to justify their experiments to
anyone, they can simply focus on building the next great tool or platform. more
Downside of Affirmative Action
National Review.com
8/19/14 -- A meta-analysis from researchers at New York University, University of
Michigan and George Mason University traces the roots of stigma that can erupt in
organizations that implement affirmative action policies to attract women and racial
minorities. more
Beloved Tax Deduction Really Just Benefits the Rich
The American Prospect
8/20/14 – “You can see why Realtors would be opposed to a reform of the Mortgage
Interest Deduction,” says Jason Fichtner, senior research fellow at George Mason
University’s Mercatus Center, and co-author of a paper on the MID. “They would have
to sell more houses to make for up the loss in commission.” more
ORED Media Report 8/15/14
New Cap Report: Climate Impact of LNG Exporting
Center for American Progress
8/4/14 – The U.S. is poised to become a net exporter of natural gas. Last week saw two
major regulatory authorizations regarding liquefied natural gas, or LNG, exports—one
from the Department of Energy and one from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission. “…LNG exports could partially displace the use of coal overseas, which
would decrease CO2 emissions from power plant operations,” said Gwynne Taraska, a
Senior Policy Advisor at CAP and the research director of the Institute for
Philosophy and Public Policy. more
U.S. Rolls Back Oversight of Potentially Dangerous Experiments
Reuters, Fox News
8/13/14 – U.S. lawmakers investigating anthrax and bird flu breaches at a federal
laboratory, question whether outside oversight of research using dangerous microbes is as
independent as federal agencies claim. They are scrutinizing the actions of the nation's
leading biomedical research institute, the NIH. "Organizations are notoriously bad at
policing themselves," said a Mason biodefense expert, Greg Koblentz. more
Distractions Kill Time and Quality
LiveScience.com, Consumer Affairs
8/13/14 – Researchers at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., conducted two studies
that demonstrated that distractions affect the quality of work. more
Breaking the Gender Barrier in Science Research
Federal News Radio
8/13/16 – Nadine Kabbani, assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Neuroscience
discussed the history of women in research science and the problem of getting more women involved. She
also discussed her research on nicotine and menthol cigarettes. "The problem is multi-leveled andtransgenerational," Kabbani said. The stigma of being considered a "nerd," the need to commit to many years of
higher education, and the problems of balancing career and family are all barriers for women. more
The Trouble with Diversity Initiatives
Wall Street Journal, PhysOrg, Talent Management
8/13/14 – A meta-analysis from researchers at New York University, University of Michigan and
George Mason University traces the roots of stigma that can erupt in organizations thatimplement
affirmative action policies to attract women and racial minorities. The study dug into 45 previous pieces of
research to identify the mechanisms that cause these programs to go awry. The paper, authored by Leslie,
University of Michigan’s David Mayer and Mason’s David Kravitz, is set to be published in theAugust
issue of the Academy of Management journal. more
Small Companies Don’t Need Ex-Im Bank
Philly.com
Op-Ed by
8/13/14 – Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center and
Andrea Castillo a research assistant at the center – see article. more
Three Things to Know About Virginia Jobs Picture
Watchdog.org
8/13/14
According to Watchdog: There have been 2,008 layoffs since May, while Governor
boasted about 4,238 new jobs since May; international investment mainly from China is
up; and Virginia gave nearly $1.2 million to a company that reported a net income loss of
$197 million after taxes this first quarter and was investigated by the Department of
Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Keith Hall, seniorresearch
fellow at the Mercatus Center said it’s better to look at the total non-farm payroll jobs
to get an accurate picture of the job situation. Some 8,600 non-farm jobs were created
since June 2013. Other interesting statistics include a loss of 2600 government jobs and a
loss of 15,300 jobs in professional and business services in the past year. more
Your Brain on Music
Shape Magazine
8/13/14 – Research shows the right tune can temper your feelings of anxiety, energize
your limbs, and even bolster your immune system. “When you hear music traveling at
your favored rhythm, the areas of your brain that control movement become more
excited, making you more likely to start tapping your feet or moving along to it,”
explains Martin Wiener, a Mason psychologist who has investigated preferredmotor
tempo. more
Prepare to be Shocked
The Atlantic
8/14/14 – Various DARPA studies demonstrated that brain stimulation improves
performance on everything from motor skills to language aquisition. Now, IARPA, the
intelligence-agency arm of DARPA, has created a program to examine if brain
stimulation combined with exercise, nutrition and games will dramatically enhance
human performance. As Raja Parasuraman, a Mason psychology professor who is
advising an IARPA team, puts it, “The end goal is to improve fluid intelligence—thatis,
to make people smarter.” More
Universities Assess Travel to Ebola-Stricken Countries
WTOP
8/14/14 – The Centers for Disease Control has urged all Americans to avoid nonessential
travel to the three African nations in the midst of the health crisis. And Several local
universities instituted a temporary ban on travel by students, faculty and staff to Liberia,
Guinea and Sierra Leone -- the areas hard hit by the Ebola outbreak. But Mason, GW
and Catholic say they have no programs in stricken West-African countries. more
Brief President, Keep Public in the Dark
Center for Public Integrity Report
8/14/14 – Back in the 1950s and 1960s, Washington prepared grim estimates of death and
destruction in the event of a nuclear war with Russia, but did not share the information.
Twelve million Americans would be killed outright and 60 million would be dead within
a year. This analysis was a “more realistic assessment of the consequences of war at that
time,” according to Martin Sherwin, a history professor at George Mason Universitywho
focuses on cold war politics and nuclear history. more
EasyFBO founder a finalist in 'Entrepreneur' contest
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association News
8/14/14 – John Hill, a junior at Virginia’s George Mason University, is one of five
college student finalists in Entrepreneur magazine’s College Entrepreneur of 2014
contest. The economics major’s submission is EasyFBO, an app designed to simplifythe
service ordering process for pilots while reducing costs and increasing efficiency for
fixed-base operators (FBOs). more
For Research Direction, Look to Kids
Consumer Electronics
8/14/14 – Young students, perhaps the next generation of Lyme researchers, have
managed to make valuable contributions to scientific knowledge about Lyme, thefastestgrowing vector-borne disease in the nation. A Lyme early-detection product is being
tested thanks to the high school project of Temple Douglas who, four years ago, was a
senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria. The
project caught the attention of researchers at Mason’s Center for Applied Proteomics
and Molecular Medicine. Assistant Professor Alessandra Luchini worked with
Douglason the Lyme test which uses a urine sample to detect proteins deriving from the
Lyme bacteria (the current Lyme diagnostic test uses a blood sample to detect patients
antibodies against the Lyme bacteria). Mason has partnered with Ceres Nanosciences in
testing and developing a commercial product. more
Loudon County Driving Regional Economy
Loundon Times-Mirror
8/14/14 – In Loudon, Per capita income grew at 2x the rate of jurisdictions in Virginia
and the U.S., according to the BEA, and more than 5x the rate of Fairfax County andthe
City of Alexandria -- two jurisdictions that have been benchmarks for the region’s
growth. Fairfax County had the lowest rate of growth, only 2 percent. "The regionhas
stopped growing," Stephen Fuller, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at
Mason, told the Mt. Vernon Gazette, which initially reported the findings. "High wage
jobs and most new jobs are paying below the average for all jobs." more
Social Security Crisis is Here
Kearney Hub, Edmund Sun, Philly.com + 68 more
8/12/14 – The 2014 report projects depletion of the combined Old Age, Survivors and
Disability Insurance trust funds in 2033. Social Security has no borrowing authority, and
after the trust funds are exhausted there is only enough payroll-tax revenue to cover a
projected 77 percent of benefits; meaning that future benefit payments must be reduced
by about 23 percent. But the resulting cut in benefits will actually be much worse for
retirees, workers and the economy if we don't act now to reform Social Security –
according to Jason J. Fichtner, senior research fellow with Mercatus. more
The Bitcoins are Coming
TechNewsWorld, Reuters, Politico
8/14/14 – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wants consumers to know that
bitcoins and other virtual currencies can be very, very risky, and consumers may need to
be protected from them. "If this advisory is the only thing you ever read about bitcoin,
you're going to think it's pretty scary," said Mercatus Center's Jerry Brito. "Luckily,it
isn't the only thing you'll probably read about bitcoin." more
Immigrants Are 26% of US Drug Production Workforce
FiercePharma Manufacturing
8/12/14 – Shaun Michel and James Witte of the Institute for ImmigrationResearch
at Mason calculated the figure in a paper analyzing the role of immigrants in the
pharmaceutical industry. Across the industry as a whole, immigrants--who account for
14% of the U.S. population--make up 17% of the workforce. The proportion of
immigrants in pharmaceutical production and distribution is higher still, with 26% ofall
positions occupied by people from outside the U.S. more
Sustainable Semantic – “Global Warming” vs. “Climate Change”
GreenBiz.com
8/12/14 – Although more Americans use “global warming,” “climate change” is coming
into favor in many mainstream media outlets. The former phrase is associated with
fearful environmental messaging, while the latter is a more scientifically accurate term
for a wider range of phenomena. According to a recent report by teams from Yale and
George Mason University, there’s a lot more nuance to these two terms — and usingthe
less fearsome and politically charged of the two could come at the expense ofemotional
resonance in sustainability communications.
Innovation Breakdown
Wall Street Journal
8/11/14 – Book review of “Innovation Breakdown” by Joseph V. Gulfo, by Alex
Tabarrok, Bartley J. Madden chair in economics at Mason. more
The Case for Low Taxes
Lake Wylie Pilot
8/15/14 – The study, conducted by economists at George Mason University, showed
that states with higher average tax rates tend to have a lower GSP, or gross state product.
A 1 percent increase in a state’s overall average tax rate decreases the GSP growthrate
by 1.9 percent. “Higher state taxes generally reduce state economic growth, GSP, and
even population,” according to the report. more
How to Help the Poor
Winnipeg Free Press
8/15/14 – Help people at the bottom without thwarting the people at the top? Some on
the right deny that the distribution of income and wealth has shifted upward, though
leading conservative economists such as Tyler Cowen, economics professor at George
Mason, argue that we should concentrate on helping poor people develop a trade and
letting the super-rich retain their hard-earned wealth. "The returns to growth," Cowen
recently told the New York Times, "are going . . . generally to people with high I.Q., no
matter where they live. I don’t really know how you could undermine this dynamic, short
of wrecking the world." more
Inequality and What Ails America
New York Times
7/30/14 – See op-ed by Economics Professor Tyler Cowen. Is income inequality the
defining issue of the times? Not so simple writes Cowen. “Income inequality”consists
of at least three separate issues: 1) the top one percent is earning more; 2) the relative
return to education is rising; and 3) economic growth is slow, and thus many lower- and
middle-income groups are not seeing their incomes rise very much over time. Thethird
of these is arguably the defining issue of our time. more
ORED Media Report 8/8/14
New Cap Report: Climate Impact of LNG Exporting
Center for American Progress
8/4/14 – The U.S. is poised to become a net exporter of natural gas. Last week saw two
major regulatory authorizations regarding liquefied natural gas, or LNG, exports—one
from the Department of Energy and one from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission. “…LNG exports could partially displace the use of coal overseas, which
would decrease CO2 emissions from power plant operations,” said Gwynne Taraska, a
Senior Policy Advisor at CAP and the research director of the Institute for
Philosophy and Public Policy. more
True Web TV is a Pipedream
National Business Times
8/5/14 – It’s a longshot, in nearly everyone’s estimation, mostly because the courts have
repeatedly said, rightly or wrongly, that over-the-Web transmission isn't broadcast for
copyright purposes and therefore not the equivalent of cable TV. "They had a viable
loophole the first time around," Brent Skorup, a telecom policy scholar at the
Mercatus Center. "Now they are trying to thread a much thinner needle." more
Why Ridesharing Freaks Regulators
Human Events – Powerful Conservative Voices
8/5/14 – Regulators want companies like Uber, Sidecar and Lyft to abide by the same
rules as taxicabs. The DC city council proposed making the companies charge 5x what
city cabs do. “That’s right,” said Matthew Mitchell, senior research fellow at the
Mercatus Center. “But these companies alerted their tech-savvy customers and within
24 hours, these tech-savvy customers inundated the City Council with about 20,000
complaints.” City Council withdrew their proposal.” more
GE Warns Closing ExIm Bank will Hit US Africa Trade
Financial Times
8/4/14 -- Research this year by George Mason University showed that 10 US
companies receive three-quarters of Ex-Im Bank financing, with GE among the main
beneficiaries. GE is likely to be one of the biggest participants in the Obama
administration’s Power Africa initiative to provide $7bn backing for energy projects in
the continent over the next five years. more
How to Help the Unbanked?
Forbes
8/4/14 – Two-and-a-half years after the Durbin Amendment’s (which imposed controls
on retailers’ credit/debit card fees) implementation the evidence is in: A study by
Mason’s International Center for Law and Economics found that consumers are
paying more and getting less as a result of the Durbin Amendment, and that low-income
consumers have suffered the most without access to mainstream financial services. more
Weird Energy Politics
National Review Online
8/4/14 -- Patrick J. Michaels, senior fellow in research and economic development, at
Mason rants that from Carter to Obama” global warming has been at the top of the
president’s agenda and at the bottom of the electorate’s.” more
Ex-Pentagon Official Cited for Ethics Lapses
Stars and Stripes
8/5/14 – Alan Rudolph, former director of the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction
Agency, and former director of the agency's chemical and biological technologies
directorate, recruited people he knew to work for him and had several organizations,
including George Mason University. more
Interruptions are Worse than We Thought
The New Republic, Free Press Journal, Science Codex, University Herald
July-August/14 – Many more publications have picked up this story about Mason
research.
The 1% is Richer Than You Think
Financial Post
8/7/14 – The 1% is literally rich beyond measure, depriving nations of billions in tax
revenue and obscuring shifts in global inequality. “The more money that you have, the
easier it becomes to hide that and avoid taxes,” said Hollender, 59, co-founder of
cleaning and personal-care products company Seventh Generation Inc. He is a member of
Responsible Wealth, a Boston-based network that advocates for economic fairness.
Tyler Cowen, Mason economics professor and co-author of the economics blog
Marginal Revolution, thinks focusing on the top 1% when looking at income distribution
is misguided. It may matter little if people such as Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates are
taking home a greater share of income, as long as the poor are becoming better off inthe
process. more
Annapolis Cybersecurity Firm Partners with Tech Giants, Universities
Technically Baltimore
8/7/14 – Annapolis-based kloudtrack made a major pivot in 2010 to focus more on
partnerships with bigger businesses, a path that has led the company to partnerships with
giants like Cisco Systems but also universities like George Mason and the University of
Maryland. Kloudtrack was the brainchild of Jan Levine, who, as founder and
president of Imageers, had a front-row advisory seat to Arthur Andersen’s New York
office and the Enron-fueled collapse of the accounting firm in 2002. Levine is now CTO
of kloudtrack. more
US Pharmaceutical Industry Depends on Immigrant Labor
Latin Post.com
8/8/14 – A study, conducted by the Institute for Immigration Research at George
Mason University, found that the pharmaceutical industry is very dependent on
immigrant labor across many job titles. more
Briefing the President, but Keeping Public in the Dark
The Center for Public Integrity
8/8/14 – Washington prepared some grim early estimates of the death and destruction that
would come from a nuclear war with Russia, but kept the details secret for more than 50
years. This analysis was a “more realistic assessment of the consequences of war at that
time,” according to Martin Sherwin, Mason history professor, who focuses on cold
war politics and nuclear history. More
State Benefits Big from Ex-Im Bank
Daily Signal
8/5/14 – Washington state, home of Boeing’s airplane division, benefits the most from
financing by the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and by a huge margin, a state-by-state
analysis shows. Using public data from the Export-Import Bank, Veronique de Rugy,
senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center analyzed the proportion of thefederal
agency’s disbursements each state received over the past seven years. more
Preventing Sports Injuries
Connectionnewspapers.com
8/6/14 – “I believe the benefits of sports participation far outweigh the risks. Injuries will
never be 100 percent preventable and are part of sports. However, many youth sports
injuries are preventable with some common sense,” said Shane V. Caswell, professor
and Athletic Training Education Program executive director at the Sports Medicine
Assessment, Research & Testing (SMART) Laboratory at George Mason
University.
ORED Media Report 7/28/14-8/1/14
Meaningful Interation in Online Courses
Inside Higher Ed
7/30/14 – Critics of online education, especially in the humanities, often stress the
importance of face-to-face interaction. But survey participants are nearlyunanimous
in rating the feedback in these courses, and interaction with instructors asexcellent
and as an important feature of their success, according to Nate Sleeter, PhDcandidate
in history at George Mason University and graduate research assistant at the Roy
Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. more
Kaiser Permanente, Johns Hopkins begin qualitycollaboration
HeathcareDIVE
7/31/14 – Jay Shiver, a health administration professor at George Mason University anda
former executive at Sibley Hospital in Washington, D.C., which is now a part of Johns
Hopkins, told the Baltimore Business Journal that the move is "more evolutionarythan
revolutionary." more
Scrap Mortgage Interest-Rate Deductions
American Banker
7/31/14 – While the deduction has broad public support, but the support may be
misplaced according to a Mercatus Center study. Over 64% of the MID tax benefits
go to tax filers earning more than $100,000. more
Economic Recovery: Depends on Who’s Talking
The New Journal & Guide
7/31/14 – Some experts say the economy is bouncing back; but housing prices are higher,
people have less in their checking account, and housing sales in Virginia fell 5.7 percent in
the second quarter. “We have recovered” from the recession, said Tyler Cowen, a
professor of economics at George Mason University. “We just don’t like what that looks
like.” more
Crony Capitalism
The Spokesman-Review
7/31/14 – A study by The Mercatus Center, a market-oriented research organization at
George Mason University, published a study that says nearly 44 percent of the Ex-Im
Banks funding goes to companies in Washington state, where Boeing is a top beneficiary
of the program. The author of the study, Veronique de Rugy, has called the bank
“crony capitalism.” more
U.S. Food Board: Bad to the Bone
Watchdog.org
7/29/14 – A U.S. Department of Agriculture Committee is building a new food pyramid
with fruits, plants and dairy as the prime ingredients. Not everyone commends their
efforts. “They need economists who understand how this will play out in the marketplace.
And stick with science,” said Richard Williams, former Food and Drug Administration
official and vice president for policy research at the Mercatus Center. more
What I Wish I’d Known About 1st Paycheck
Time
7/29/14 – Earning every penny you're worth when you join the workforce can pay off for
the rest of your life. Small differences in starting salaries could mean serious moneyover
the course of a career, according to a recent study by researchers at George Mason
University and Temple University. more
How Gchat Hurts Productivity
Huffington Post
7/28/14
Researchers at George Mason University homed in on the negative impact Gchatg
specifically has on workplace productivity in their latest study. more
Medicare Trust Fund Will Last ‘Til 2030
The Washington Times
7/28/14 – Trustees predict slowing health costs will keep Medicare solvent until 2030, or
four year later than last year’s projections. It’s a debate that has been raging in health
policy circles for years, and “certainly not one the trustees are going to settle,” said
Public Trustee Charles Blahous, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center. more
Karl Marx Wouldn’t Recognize This Plan
Watchdog.org
7/28/14 – A federal program has designs on making Americans “Healthy People.”Amid
rising obesity rates and a binge of political correctness, the government initiative is
getting broader. “Karl Marx couldn’t have come up with this,” says Richard Williams,
vice president for policy research at the Mercatus Center. more
Massively Improve Your Writing
Business Insider India
7/16/14 – Studies conducted by Mason PhD candidate Cyrus Foroughi showed
multitasking worsened writing skills "Try to reduce external interruptions as best you
can," he said. "Turn off your cell phone. Turn off your Twitter and email notifications.
You can live without them for an hour or two." more
Dyes Paint New Picture of Disease
Bioscience Technology
7/24/14 – By using brightly hued dyes, George Mason University researchers
discovered an innovative way to reveal where proteins touch each other, possiblyleading
to new treatments for cancer, arthritis, heart disease and even lung disease. more
Certificate of Need Limits Health Care
Burlington Free Press
7/28/14 – In Vermont, the Certificate of Need (CON) regulatory process prohibits
hospitals and health care providers from offering new services without approval.
However, recent research from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University
shows that the CON reduces health services and increases costs. more
Business Diary
Washington Post
7/27/14 – Fairfax-based George Mason University said it will begin offeringa
bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity engineering.
Export Import Bank Benefits Big Biz
St. Louis Post Dispatch
7/27/14 – Says Andrea Castillo, research assistant, Mercatus Center, in a letter tothe
editor. more
Economic Perspective on Fairness
Imperial Valley News
7/26/14 -- Kevin McCabe, PhD, of George Mason University, will present research(at
the American Psychological Association’s 122nd Conference) from economics
experiments suggesting that people’s sense of fairness depends on whether theyconsider
behavior acceptable. more
ORED Media Report 07/19/14-07/25/14
Tolerating Too Much?
Odessa American
7/20/14 – Water Williams, professor of Economics, thinks that Americans are unwilling to
defend themselves from crime and violence. more
Avoiding Tech Traps
The Huffington Post
7/21/14 – Technology can have negative effects on many aspects of our daily lives, according to
recent research. One study conducted by researchers in the College of Humanities and Social
Sciences found that constant interruptions by technology seriously impact the quality of work.
more
Regulating Wood-Burning Stoves
Daily Yonder.com
7/22/14 – The Environmental Protection Agency proposed new restrictions on emissions from
wood-burning stoves. A report by Sean Mulholland, a researcher for the Mercatus Center,
indicated these rules could have a big impact on people living in rural areas. more
Shipwreck Study Launched Second Expedition
The Maritime Executive
7/22/14 – A team of scientists recently launched a second expedition to the Gulf of Mexico to
study the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on microbial communities that live on
shipwrecks. The study is part of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, sponsored by
Mason’s Microbiome Analysis Center, Environmental Science and Policy Department,
along with several other organizations. more
The Hunt for a “Model City”
The Washington Post
7/22/14 – Mercatus Center research fellow Brent Skorup weighs in on the federal
government’s search for a city willing to host wireless experimentation. more
States Debate Millionaires’ Tax Bills
Personal Liberty Digest
7/23/14 – Should states raise taxes on the wealthy? A 2011 study of migration patterns across the
nation conducted by Antony Davies and John Pulito, researchers with the Mercatus Center,
concluded that millionaires leave states with high income and property tax rates in search of
states offering a better deal. more
Complaints about CFPB Complaint Database
The Hill
7/22/14 – Hester Peirce, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, said that the
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s unfiltered complaint database might cause more harm
than good. more
1
Efforts to Reform Patent Laws Continue
Washington Examiner
7/23/14 – Adam Mossoff, professor, School of Law, said that despite recent setbacks, efforts by
the federal government to reform patent law will continue. more
Unlocking the Protein Puzzle
Science Codex
7/23/14 – Using brightly hued dyes, researchers led by Lance Liotta, co-director, Center for
Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, and Alessandra Luchini, assistant professor,
Applied Proteomics & Molecular Medicine, examined the “hot spot” where proteinsinterlock
and send signals down the chain. more
Men Outearn Women in Virginia
The Connection
7/23/14 – A recent study by the Center for Regional Analysis concluded that wage disparities
between men and women are glaring. David Versel, senior research associate, School of
Public Policy, explained why women in Northern Virginia still earn less than men. more
Virginia Unemployment Stats Paint Inaccurate Picture
Watchdog.org
7/24/14 – Keith Hall, a senior research fellow with the Mercatus Center, said the increasein
unemployment for the second straight month is not an accurate reflection of the real economic
situation in Virginia. more
Voting Rights for Felons
The Root
7/24/14 – A stream of legislation aims to restore voting rights to millions of ex-cons. In 2012,
Mason’s Election Project determined that more than 6.8 million Americans were ineligible to
vote due to felony convictions. more
Real Estate Development Gains
GlobeSt.com
7/24/14 – A report by Stephen S. Fuller, director, Center for Regional Analysis, indicated a
rebound in commercial construction but warns that a complete recovery is still years away. more
Rules Limit Patient Options
Rutland Herald
7/25/14 – Vermont’s efforts to reduce costs by imposing regulations on hospitals and health care
providers actually reduced services and increased costs, according to a recent study by the
Mercatus Center. more
2
ORED Media Report 7/12/14-7/18/14
Lobbying Helps Company Execs, Not Profits
Mother Jones
7/11/14 – A new paper by Russell Sobel and Rachel Graefe-Anderson, researchers at the
Mercatus Center, suggests corporate America's record expenditures on political influence may
contribute more to executives' paychecks than companies’ bottom line. more
Interruptions at Work Affect Quality
Science Codex
7/14/14 – A new study by Cyrus Foroughi, PhD candidate, Psychology, with Dr. Deborah
Boehm-Davis, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Science, showed the impacts of
disruptions at work. more
Mason Professor Helps Science Teachers
Richmond Times Dispatch
7/14/14 – Richmond-area teachers are spending part of their summer in a four-week training
program to enhance science education. The program was developed based on research by Donna
Roudabush Sterling, former professor of science education, College of Education and
Human Development. more
Interruptions Are Even Worse Than We Thought
New Republic
7/16/14 – A team of researchers, including Cyrus Foroughi, PhD candidate, Psychology, and
Dr. Deborah Boehm-Davis, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Science, has found
that people who are interrupted while writing end up producing lower-quality essays than writers
who are allowed to work undisturbed. more
Security Lapses at CDC Labs Cause Concern
The Christian Science Monitor
7/16/14 – Three recent safety breaches at federal biosecurity labs reveal a culture of negligence
that threatens important research on biological pathogens. Professor of Biology Charles Bailey,
director of the National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, said that terrorists
want to develop biological weapons using pathogens. more
Americans Want Action on Climate Change
The Week.com
7/17/14 — A massive survey on climate change queried 860 registered voters. The market
research was conducted by Yale University Project on Climate Change Communication and the
George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication. It confirmed that
despite a strong partisan divide on how to address the issue, Americans agree they want action to
mitigate climate change. more
Interruptions Interfere with Productivity
Today.com
7/17/14 – “One minute is more than enough to wipe your short-term memory,” according to
Cyrus Foroughi, a doctoral student in Psychology who studied how interruptions impact
productivity and focus. more
Dispel Myths to Stop Ebola
The Washington Post
7/18/14 – The deadly Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia rages on amid myths
and rumors that make it difficult for authorities to treat the disease. Kathryn H. Jacobsen,
associate professor, Global and Community Health, said that West Africans fearing social
stigma might not seek testing or treatment. more
What’s In a Retirement Community Name?
Market Watch (The Wall Street Journal)
7/18/14 -- Andrew Carle, assistant professor, College of Health and Human Services, and
director of Mason’s Assisted Living/ Senior Housing Administration, helps to shed light on
the often confusing options for senior housing. more
ORED Media Report 7/4/14-7/11/14
Presidential Power and the “American Monarchy”
Reason.com
7/3/14 – Frank Buckley, professor, School of Law, talks about his book, The Once and Future
King: The Rise of Crown Government in America, an exploration of the rise of “elective
monarchy” in the U.S. more
Economic Freedom
Odessa American Online
7/6/14 – Walter Williams, economics professor, defended the free market system. more
Regulations Slow Ride Sharing
Post-Gazette
7/6/14 – Matthew Mitchell, adjunct professor of Economics and senior researchfellow,
Mercatus Center, addressed Pennsylvania’s ban on ride-sharing services. more
Mason Unveils Civil Rights Archive
Fairfax News
7/6/14 – The Northern Virginia Civil Rights Archive project solicited personal stories and
testimonials from members of the community about the civil rights movement over the courseof
a year and will be housed at repositories at Mason along with area libraries. Lattanzi Shutika
English professor, said the archive gives students the ability to access primary researchthrough
oral history and ethnography. more
Ebola Experts Warn Sierra Leone
MENAFN—AFP
7/7/14 – In a letter headed by Kathryn Jacobsen, associate professor, College of Health and
Human Services, a panel of experts warned officials in Sierra Leone that Ebola is going
undetected and unreported. more
Government Cannot Forecast Obamacare Costs
Wall St. Cheat Sheet
7/7/14 – The nonpartisan government agency tasked with calculating Affordable Care Actcosts
announced that the task was too complex due to rule changes. Senior Research Fellow Charles
Blahous, Mercatus Center, said the Congressional Budget Office’s inability to nail down
Obamacare costs is a real problem. more
Political Positions on Climate Change
American Thinker
7/8/14 – A collaborative survey study by George Mason University and Yale University
concluded that people’s perceptions about climate change run down political lines. Lead
investigator, Edward Maibach, director, Center for Climate Change Communications,said
liberal and moderate Republicans often have views relatively similar to Democrats, while
conservative Republicans have very different opinions. more
Congress, Extortion, and Unfunded Mandates
The Epoch Times
7/8/14 –James T. Bennett, professor of Economics, talked about his research into the waysthe
U.S. government has expanded federal laws into local matters. more
Old Rules vs. New Tech
The Hill
7/8/14 – Patrick A. McLaughlin, senior research fellow, Mercatus Center, offered asolution
to recent protests by D.C. cab drivers over regulations of Uber and Lyft, two transportation
services that have been under fire lately. more
Overspending Is a Moral Problem
WND.com
7/8/14 – Walter Williams, professor of Economics, questioned the morality of U.S.
government spending policies in his latest commentary. more
Keeping Civil Rights’ History Alive
The Washington Post
7/9/14 – A Northern Virginia archive of the civil rights movement, recently unveiled at Mason,
will help correct historical bias that result from an accumulation of small cracks in human
memory. more
Lower Taxes Linked to Growth
Albuquerque Business First
7/10/14 – The Mercatus Center released a study that said higher taxes reduce states’overall
GDP. more
Efforts to Reduce Fed’s Spending Power Continue
Columbus CEO
7/11/14 – House Republicans renewed their efforts to limit the spending powers of the Federal
Reserve. Hester Pierce, senior research fellow, Mercatus Center, testified at Thursday’s
hearing, saying the effort to devise better rules was worth it. more
Soccer and Technology Mesh at “RoboCup”
Valley News
7/11/14 – Robot soccer players designed by a team from Mason, advised by Sean Luke,
assistant professor, Computer Science, show just how far technology has come.
ORED Media Report 6/21/14 – 7/3/14
Regional Job Market Stuck in Neutral
The Washington Post
6/20/14 – Professor Stephen Fuller, director, Center for Regional Analysis, said weak jobs
numbers for May are likely a sign that the stronger April numbers were distorted, and not a result
of economic improvement. more
Power, Privilege and Myths about Violence against Women
Huffington Post
6/20/14 – Professor Angela J. Hattery, director, Women and Gender Studies, reacted to two
articles recently published in the Washington Post that she said misrepresent the research on
violence against women. more
Mason Focuses on College Students’ Well-Being
USA Today
6/22/14 – Mason researchers are partnering with Gallup Education to foster students’ habits of
success through well-being. more
Flipped Learning Shows Evidence of Success
Digital Journal
6/23/14 – Patrick McKnight, associate professor, psychology, and his student, Jessica
Yarbro, updated previous research on “flipped learning,” an instructional method, to provide
further evidence of its capacity to improve student achievement and engagement.
more
Big Data and Climate Change
Fortune
6/23/14 – Researchers are using big data technology to study the environmental effects of
climate change. Kirk Borne, professor, School of Physics, Astronomy, and Computational
Sciences, described how sensors in space and on the ground collect climate information to
develop scientists’ understanding. more
Working for Free
Financial Times
6/23/14 — Working without pay is becoming more common as a way to increase experience and
give back. Tyler Cowen, economics professor, Center for Study of Public Choice, said only
doing things for money could be a corrupting mindset. more
Is GovCon a Real Market?
Federal News Radio
6/24/14 – The debate over the status of GovCon, a resource for government contractors,
continues. John Hillen, executive in residence and professor of practice, School of
Management, discussed the growth of the GovCon services market. more
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Debating Export-Import Bank’s Future
St. Louis Dispatch
6/25/14 — If Congress does not act, the charter for the Export-Import Bank will expire, but not
everyone thinks this is a bad thing. Veronique de Rugy, senior research fellow, Mercatus
Center, debated William Lacy Clay, democratic representative and a major supporter of the
bank. She said the Export-Import Bank creates unfair advantages for some business at the
expense of taxpayers. more
Creating Fair Tax Policies
JCOnline
6/26/14 — During a summit on Indiana’s future, Maurice McTigue, vice president for
outreach, Mercatus Center, offered advice to Gov. Mike Pence on tax reform. more
Teachers Become Students at Mason
Fairfax Times
6/26/14 — The Department of Education awarded the Virginia Center for Teaching
Excellence (VCTE) a $220,000 grant to create a teacher development program, which started
this week. Jeff Davis, the Center’s project manager, said that 100 teachers are participating.
more
New Media, Old Problems in Human Rights
Washington Post
6/26/14 — A. Trevor Thrall, associate professor, Public and International Affairs,
commented on the use of social media by NGOs, in a recently published paper he co-authored
with Dominik Stecula, a graduate student at the University of British Columbia. more
Mason by the Numbers
InTheCapital
6/26/14 — Using Twitter, President Angel Cabrera does his best to put Mason on the social
media map. more
Mason Partnership Helps Small Business
Times Dispatch
6/26/14 — The Greater Richmond Small Business Development Center, a partnership
between Mason, the Greater Richmond Chamber, and the U.S. Small Business Administration,
gives startups individually tailored counseling on a variety of topics to help them grow. more
Mason Prepares Future Military Doctors
InTheCapital
6/27/14 — This week, Mason’s College of Science won almost $8 million to begin an Enlisted
to Medical Degree Preparatory Program that will prepare active-duty military members for
medical school in a two-year “pre-med boot camp.” more
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African American Physicians Note Health Effects of Climate Change
Dallas Weekly
6/27/14 — According to a new survey conducted by Mason’s Center for Climate Change
Communications, with the National Medical Association (NMA), African American physicians
nationwide are concerned about the health consequences of climate change. more
Education Establishment “Success?”
Odessa American Online
6/29/14 — Walter Williams, economics professor, claimed the education establishment’s
major contribution is “dumbing down” the nation, causing Americans to fall prey to illogical or
unsupported arguments. more
Hobby Lobby and Health Care
Wall Street Journal Live
6/30/14 — Ilya Somin, law professor, discussed the recent Supreme Court ruling that “closely
held” companies can refuse to cover contraception in their employees’ health care based on
religious beliefs. more
D.C. Job Market Stagnates
Washington Post
7/1/14 — Anemic job growth in the federal government and professional services continues.
Stephen Fuller, economics professor and director, Center for Regional
Analysis,
commented on the lack of growth at state and metro levels. more
Battle over Export-Import Bank Rages
Columbus CEO (Reprinted from the Washington Post)
7/1/14 — Some companies have a lot to lose if embattled Export-Import Bank is forced to close.
However, according to a report by Veronique de Rugy, senior research fellow, Mercatus
Center, there is no policy justification for the bank to remain in business. more
Climate Change Impacts Well-Being
New Pittsburg Courier Online
7/1/14 — A survey of 284 physicians of color across 33 states sponsored by Mason’s Center
for Climate Change Communications, College of Health and Human Services, with the
National Medical Association, was one of two reports released last week that examined how
climate change affects the physical and psychological health of individuals and communities.
more
The Case Against U.S. Arms Sales
The Dissenter
7/2/14 — In a recent working paper, Mercatus Center scholars Chris Coyne, professor of
economics, and Abigail R. Hall, research fellow, said America’s global arms sales create
serious consequences. more
3
Debate over Intellectual Property
RStreet.org
7/2/14 — The American Enterprise Institute recently hosted a debate on whether intellectual
property can be treated the same as physical property. Mark Schultz, cofounder and codirector of academic programs at the Center for the Protection of Intellectual Property,
School of Law, said copyrights are a “narrow property right.”more
Dirty Money Dumped on New York
The Nation
7/3/14 — Corrupt politicians and business people worldwide are buying Manhattan apartments
with dirty money. Louise I. Shelley, director of the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and
Corruption Center, School of Public Policy, said laundered money flowing into real estate
increased since 9/11 due to intensified scrutiny of other kinds of transactions. more
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ORED Media Report 6/21/14 – 6/26/14
Regional Job Market Stuck in Neutral
The Washington Post
6/20/14 – Professor Stephen Fuller, director, Center for Regional Analysis, said theweak
jobs numbers for May are likely a sign that the stronger April numbers were distorted, rather
than a result of economic improvement. more
Power, Privilege and Myths about Violence against Women
Huffington Post
6/20/14 – Professor Angela J. Hattery, director, Women and Gender Studies, reacted totwo
articles recently published in the Washington Post that she said misrepresent the research on
violence against women. more
Mason Focuses on College Students’ Well-Being
USA Today
6/22/14 – Mason researchers are partnering with Gallup Education to foster students’ habitsof
success through well-being. more
Flipped Learning Shows Evidence of Success
Digital Journal
6/23/14 – Patrick McKnight, associate professor, psychology, and his student,Jessica
Yarbro, described research on “flipped learning” that provides further evidence of this
instructional model’s capacity to impact student outcomes, including achievement and
engagement. more
Big Data and Climate Change
Fortune
6/23/14—Researchers are using big-data technology to study the environmental effectsof
climate change. Kirk Borne, professor, School of Physics, Astronomy, Computational
Sciences, described sensors – in space, and on the ground – that collect climateinformation.
more
Working for Free
Financial Times
6/23/14— Working without pay is becoming more common. Tyler Cowen, economics
professor, Center for Study of Public Choice, said only doing things for money could bea
corrupting mindset. more
Is GovCon a Real Market?
Federal News Radio
6/24/14 – John Hillen, executive in residence and professor of practice, School of
Management, discussed the growth of the GovCon services market. more
Debating the Export-Import Bank’s Future
St. Louis Dispatch
6/25/14—If Congress does not act, the charter for the Export-Import Bank will expire, but not
everyone thinks this is a bad thing. Debating William Lacy Clay, democratic representativefrom
Missouri, and a major supporter of the bank, Veronique de Rugy, senior research fellow,
Mercatus Center, said the Export-Import Bank creates unfair advantages for some business at
the expense of taxpayers. more
Creating Fair Tax Policies
JCOnline
6/26/14—Maurice McTigue, vice president for outreach, Mercatus Center, offered adviceto
Gov. Mike Pence on tax reform in Indiana. more
###
ORED Media Report 6/14/14-6/20/14
Peace Might Hurt Economic Growth
New York Times
6/13/14 — Tyler Cowen, professor of economics, Center for Study of Public Choice, said
that slow economic growth, caused in part by weak demand, over-regulation, and lack of
innovation, could have another culprit: the persistence of peace. more
War for Prosperity
Right Side News
6/16/14 — In a recent article in the New York Times, Tyler Cowen, professor of economics,
Center for Study of Public Choice, considered the impact of peace on economic growth.more
Is It Harder to Open a Brewery in Virginia?
Washington Business Journal
6/17/14 — A study released earlier this month by the Mercatus Center concludes that Virginia
breweries face barriers to business, but brewers around the state say the regulatory burden is
easing. more
The Rise of “Philantro-Shaming”
The Washington Post
6/17/14 – Benjamin Soskis, research fellow, Center for the Study of
Nonprofit
Management, Philanthropy and Policy, described a report entitled “The Phony Philanthropy of
the Walmart Heirs” as unfair. more
Breaking Nuclear Gridlock
The Bulletin
6/17/14 – Zachary Keck, a graduate student in political and international affairs, said the
world’s nuclear powers should aim to ban land-based delivery systems to reduce impending
nuclear dangers. more
Mason’s Bryan Caplan on Parenting
RT.com
6/18/14 – Bryan Caplan, associate professor of economics, Center for Study of Public
Choice, talks about nature versus nurture and childrearing. more
Mason Professor Urges Bishops to Care for the Needy
Catholic Sentinel
6/19/14 — Helen Alvare, associate professor of law, said the church needs to continue their
ministry of caring for the needy despite obstacles. more
Detecting Guns before They’re Fired
In The Capital
6/19/14 – Associate Professor Ken Hintz, Volgenau School of Engineering, and Assistant
Professor Jim Wolfe, School of Management, are developing technology that can detect a
weapon before it is fired, which could make schools and workplaces safer. more
Experts Use SciCast to Make Predictions
Broadway World (Reprinted in IT Business Net)
6/19/14 – Mason’s SciCast project called for participants to join the existing 2,300 professionals
and enthusiasts who use the predicting power of crowdsourcing. Charles Twardy, assistant
professor of engineering, and SciCast principal investigator, explained that forecasts
influence each other. more
(Mis)Reading George Will
The Washington Post
6/19/14 – David Bernstein, Mason Foundation professor, School of Law, weighed in on
George Will’s recent column, which created controversy and prompted calls for the Washington
Post to fire him. more
ORED Media Report 6/7/14-6/13/14
New Jobs Data Does Not Account for Missing Workers
US News and World Report
6/6/14 – Unemployment numbers would rise if so-called “missing workers” were added to
current calculations of the potential labor force, according to a new report. Keith Hall, a senior
researcher with the Mercatus Center, said that greater numbers are needed for strong job
growth. more
China’s Complex Foreign Relations
Middle East Monitor
6/8/14 – China has become the largest net importer of petroleum in the world by diversifying its
energy suppliers. Mark N. Katz, professor of public and international affairs, said that
Beijing wants more stability. more
The Case for and Against Slave Reparations
Communities Digital News
6/9/14 – The debate over whether American descendants of slaves should receive reparations
from the U.S. government continues to rage. Walter Williams, professor of economics,
addressed the effects of discrimination on generations of African Americans.
more
Regulations Have High Price Tag for Businesses
Newsmax.com
6/9/14 – A new report by the Competitive Enterprise Group (CEI) said that federal regulations
impose a massive burden on the economy. Patrick McLaughlin, senior research fellow at the
Mercatus Center, said that regulations take a toll on employees by increasing paperwork and
stifling innovation. more
Companies Committing Fraud Get Hit Hard
Wall Street Journal
6/10/14 – The Searle Civil Justice Institute, a research division of Mason’s Law &
Economics Center, conducted a study of U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
enforcement and found public companies charged with bribery and financial fraud saw an initial
drop of 16.3% in market capitalization. more
Public Support for Policy Action on Climate Change
The Energy Collective.com
6/11/14 – America’s response to several surveys, including one that Ed Maibach, director for
Center for Climate Change Communications, conducted together with Yale University,
indicated that 50-85% of Americans agree that global warming is happening. more
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Low Voter Turnout in Texas
KTRH News Radio.com
6/11/14 – A study conducted by Mason’s United States Elections Project revealed that Texas’s
voter turnout was among the worst in the country in the 2012 election.
more
Slow Growth Stalls Economic Recovery
New York Times
6/11/14 – Slow economic growth is stalling economic recovery, according to a report by the
Congressional Budget Office. Tyler Cowan, professor of economics at the Center for Study
of Public Choice, said that the slow growth could linger. more
What Does Your Name Communicate about You?
PolicyMic.com
6/12/14 – According to several experts, names can signify important information about race,
class status, education level and ethnic origin, but when more information enters the picture, the
impact of a name can fade. Martin Ford, senior assistant dean of the College of Education
and Human Development, said adding information about personality, motivation, and ability
reduces its impact. more
Climate Change Terms Impact Perception
Boulder Weekly
6/12/14 – A study conducted by Mason’s Center for Climate Change Communications in
conjunction with Yale University found more Americans worry about “global warming” than
“climate change.” Edward Maibach, the center’s director, said that the term’s connotation
creates different perceptions. more
2
ORED Media Report: 5/30/14-6/6/14
Mason Study Is a Big Deal
Watchdog Wire
5/28/14 – Eileen Norcross, senior research fellow Mercatus Center, recently authored a report
on the status of Alabama’s public pension system that said gaps in funding could lead to
bankruptcy within 10 years. more…
Cronyism Means Big Bucks for Businesses
Heritage.org
5/28/14 – A new report released by the Mercatus Center said that some policies designed to
foster economic development are shifting wealth from taxpayers to big business. Lotta Moberg,
co-author of the report, said that such practices create adverse incentives. more…
Mason Doctoral Student Teaches Peace Techniques
Fairfax News
5/30/14 – Soolmaz Abooali, a doctoral student at the School for Conflict Analysis and
Resolution, demonstrated her research on the use of martial arts to promote self-reflection and
conflict resolution in Los Angeles. more…
Virginia’s Employment Growth Lags
Richmond Times Dispatch.com
6/1/14 – Low employment growth in Virginia could be due to decreases in federal spending.
Professor Stephen Fuller, School of Public Policy, said that declines in federal spending could
continue into the next fiscal year. more…
Victims of Rape Sometimes Pay for Medical Care
GPB News.org
6/3/14 – A study funded by the National Institute of Justice funded looked at the effects of
legislation to cover the costs of medical care for rape victims. Research carried out by Mason
researchers in partnership with the Urban Institute and the National Sexual Violence Resource
Center analyzed which services are provided to rape survivors and the extent to which they're
provided free of charge. more…
Understanding the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Roberts
WBUR.org
6/3/14 – Tom Ashbrook’s interview with author Lawrence Tribe revealed some of the subtleties
of Supreme Court decisions that affect the nation. Associate Professor Neomi Rao, a
constitutional law scholar in the School of Law, weighed in on the discussion. more…
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Mason Student Fights for Sustainability
The Bahamas Weekly
6/3/14 – Jade Pearce, a student in the Environmental Science and Sustainability Program,
received the Ethan S. Bain Environmental Health Foundation Scholarship to study how factors in
the natural environment affect communities. Pearce has worked globally and locally to help
people and the environment. more…
Will the New NIST Framework Make Us Less Secure?
GovInfoSecurity.com
6/3/14 – Mercatus Center research fellow Eli Dourado said the cybersecurity framework
issued earlier this year by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is likely to
cause more problems than it solves. more…
Favoritism Flourishes in Mississippi
The Daily Signal
6/3/14 – Research by Associate Professor of Economics Christopher Coyne and Lotta
Moberg of the Mercatus Center caused some to doubt whether tax-payer funded investments
for business was creating jobs or simply causing favoritism. more…
Global Warming Evident in Amazon Forest
Mongabay.com
6/4/14 – Research published in the journal Ecology studied the ecological impacts in Amazonian
rainforests that may be linked to rising carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere,
according to Professor Thomas Lovejoy, the study’s leader from the Environmental Science
and Policy Department. more…
Regulations Stifle Innovation
Hawaii Reporter
6/4/14 – A study recently released by the Mercatus Center found that regulations on craft beer
brewing limit competition and stifle innovation in the industry. Senior research fellow Matthew
Mitchell and program manager Christopher Koopman found that state and federal regulations
can privilege established brewers and distributors at the expense of customers and entrepreneurs
trying to enter the market. more…
Rape Victims Pay for Attack-Related Medical Bills
RT.com
6/4/14 -- The National Institute of Justice funded a study to look at the effects of legislation to
cover the costs of medical care for rape victims. Research carried out by Mason researchers in
partnership with the Urban Institute and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center
2
eanalyzed which services are provided to rape survivors and the extent to which they're provided
free of charge. more…
Can ObamaCare Reduce the Deficit?
Roll Call.com
6/4/14 – Four years after enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), it’s unclear whether the
health care law is still on track to reduce the deficit. Charles Blahous, a senior research fellow
at the Mercatus Center, commented on the Congressional Budget Office’s inability to estimate
the net effect of the law. more…
Customer Service Won’t Save Small Banks
American Banker.com
6/4/14 – The strategy offering individual service to their customers is not preventing a declinein
the number of American community banks. According to a report from the Mercatus Center,
the number of small banks declined 24% between 2000 and 2013, while the five largest banks
now hold 44% of U.S. banking assets and 40% of domestic deposits. more…
Climate Change Controversy Continues
Vox.com
6/5/14 – The climate change debate hinges on what many would consider a small shift in
temperature. However, Professor of Environmental Science and Policy Thomas Lovejoy’s
research on climate change posits that a 2-degree shift could have marked consequences for
human life. more…
Obama’s Presidency Will Be Remembered
CBS Pittsburg
6/5/14 – Law Professor Francis Buckley said that Obama’s presidency will be remembered for
using “king-like powers.” Buckley referenced George Mason’s 1787 fear that an American
President would be an “elected monarch.” more…
Predicting Wildfire Emissions’ Impact on the Global Carbon Cycle
PHYS.org
6/5/14 – Predicting and quantifying the effects of potential future wildfire emissions is adifficult
process, but a team of 17 scientists and associates including some from George Mason
University is collaborating to do just that. more…
Regulations on Pesticides Threaten EU Honeybees
Wall Street Journal
6/5/14 – Jon Entine, director of the Genetic Literacy Project and a senior researcherwith
Mason’s Center for Health & Risk Communication, said that last year’s decision byEuropean
3
Commissioners to pass a two-year preemptive ban on a class of pesticides known as
neonicotinoids to protect honeybees had unintended consequences that threaten the bees. more…
The Real Scientific Consensus on Climate Change
Fox Business
6/5/14 – Survey data collected by Mason researchers provides insight on the debate overclimate
change and policy. more…
Warmer Waters Propel Fish North
Straight.com
6/5/14 – Some scientists say in recent years a fish species called the summer flounder hasaltered
its habitat due to a warming Atlantic. Chris Kennedy, environmental economics professor,
said this change in the water is only one part of the equation that the team is tackling. Theyare
looking at changes occurring on land. more…
Anti-Immigrant Fervor Is Destined to Become a Relic of the Past
This Week
6/5/14 – Commenting on survey that found levels of prejudice among the British had increased,
Bryan Caplan, associate professor of economics at the Center for the Study of Public
Choice, said anti-immigrant sentiment does not always stem from racism, nativism, or
xenophobia, but from a preference for the status quo. more…
Job Growth Exceeds Expectations
U.S. News & World Report
6/6/14 – U.S. businesses added more jobs than projected in May, a hopeful sign for Americans
seeking work. Keith Hall, an economist and senior research fellow at the MercatusCenter,
said stronger economic growth creates stronger job growth, which keeps the momentum of
stronger consumer spending. more…
Study Uncovers Threats to Rainforests
Summit Country Voice
6/6/14 – A team of researchers led by Thomas Lovejoy, environmental studies and policy
professor, studied fragmentation in Amazonian rainforests caused by cattle ranching over the
past 35 years. Lovejoy said increases in tree deaths and vine growth might be caused byelevated
carbon dioxide levels. more…
4
ORED Media Report 5/22/14-5/29/14
Research Links Latino Students’ Success to Montessori
EdCentral.org
5/22/14 – New research published in the Journal of Educational Psychology suggested that
Montessori pre-K programs that emphasize student-driven, individualized instruction, may best
suit Latino students’ unique developmental paths. Professor of Psychology Adam Winsler and
his co-researcher explored how Montessori pre-K programs affected the school readiness of
African-American and Latino children. more…
LBJ’s Great Society Funded D.C. Metro
Washington Post
5/23/14 – Zachary M. Schrag, Professor of History and author of the book The Great Society
Subway: A History of the Washington Metro said many pieces of the Great Society, including car
safety laws, a national trails system and the Metro, were designed to make life better for all
Americans. more …
Americans Still Interested in Climate Change
Christian Science Monitor
5/23/14 – A recent study noted a decline in Google searches about climate change, but,
according to Ed Maibach, Director of the Center for Climate Change Communication
(CCCC), Americans' concern with global warming has actually risen steadily since 2009. Dr.
Maibach said that more information about climate change might have caused the decrease in
Google searches. more…
Mason Student Researcher Gets High Marks from NIH
InTheCapital.com
5/27/14 – Doctoral student Gavin Sampey received funding from the National Institute of
Health for his innovative HIV research. Sampey’s grant earned ab elite one percent rating,
making it the best of the national grants reviewed, said Fatah Kashanchi, Director of Research
at the Mason-based National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases and mentor to
Sampey. more…
Policies for Economic Development Should Level the Playing Field
BizTimes.com
Mason researchers who studied economic development efforts across the country found that
improvements are needed. Associate Professor of Economics Christopher J. Coyne and his
student, Lotta Moberg, said that policymakers would be better off pursuing policies that level the
playing field for all businesses. more…
Event Shows Possibilities for Big Data
HPCWire.com
5/27/14 – At a conference that addressed the role and meaning of big data in research and
business, Kirk Borne, Professor of Astrophysics and Computational Science, showed the
direct scientific and commercial benefits of large-scale data analysis through his researchin
1
astrophysics and shared how these technologies have implications for manufacturing and
transportation. more…
When It Comes to Global Warming, Names Matter
Gnomes National News Service.com
5/27/14 – The shift in terminology from “global warming” to “climate change” has affected how
Americans think about this issue, according to a recent study by the Yale Project on Climate
Change. Professor Ed Maibach, Director of the Center for Climate
Change
Communication (CCCC), said that many people do not see “global warming” and “climate
change” as synonymous terms. more…
Mason Professor Honored for Research on Traffic Congestion
FairfaxNews.com
5/29/14 – Professor of Civil Engineering Shanjiang Zhu, with the Center for Transportation
Public-Private Partnership Policy at Mason’s School of Public Policy, was awarded the 2014
Young Researcher of the Year Award by the International Transport Forum (ITF). Zhu’s
research has created a tool to evaluate policy options to reduce traffic congestion in cities.
more…
Climate Change Terminology Affects Beliefs
Journalist’s Resource
5/29/14 – A March 2014 study conducted by Center for Climate Change Communication and
the Yale Project on Climate Change reveals that people react to the terms “global warning”and
“climate change” differently, which, according to Professor Ed Maibach, Director of the
Center for Climate Change Communication, has significant implications for science
journalism and communications. more…
Mason Researchers Conduct Survey of Iranian Americans
Payvand Iran News.com
5/29/14 -- A survey conducted by Mason researchers in April, commissioned by the Public
Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, said Iranian Americans support facilitating greater
understanding between the peoples of Iran and the United States. more…
2
ORED MEDIA REPORT 5/16/14 – 5/22/14
GMU Forms First in Kind Precision Medicine Alliance
Virginia Bio
5/9/14 – GMU has joined forces with Phoenix-based Translational Genomics Research Institute
(TGen) in a first-of-its-kind alliance that builds upon expertise from both institutions. Mason has
pioneered proteomics, or the study of proteins, while TGen is a world-leader in genomic, or
DNA, research in the growing field of precision medicine that uses a patient’s molecular profile
to personalize treatment and medications. more…
Debating the Role of Religion in Foreign Policy
National Catholic Reporter
5/16/14 – George Mason partnered with the Brookings Institute and City University London to
host a forum that assessed the degree of influence religion has on foreign policy. Professor
Peter Mandaville, of the Center for Global Islamic Studies, was on the panel of experts.
more…
Drone Technology Becomes More Accessible
Smithsonian
5/17/14 – Christopher Vo, a graduate researcher in computer science, spoke about the potential
for personal drones at the Smithsonian’s The Future Is Here conference in Washington, DC. Vo
demonstrated how drone technology has become more accessible mainstream. more…
Bringing Down Cyber-Underworld Silk Road
WCNC.com
5/19/14 – Jerry Brito, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center , offered insight into how
FBI agents took down the Silk Road, a black market Internet site. more…
Low-Income Latino Children Benefit from Pre-School
EurekaAlert (Reprinted in Parent Herald)
5/19/14 – Adam Winsler, Professor of Psychology, co-authored a study published in the
Journal of Educational Psychology that found Latino children excelled in Montessori programs
across pre-academic and behavioral skills. more…
.
Without changes, Alabama's Pension Funds Could Run Dry
AL.com
5/19/14 – In her report for the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy, Eileen
Norcross, the lead researcher for the State and Local Policy Project at the Mercatus Center,
wrote that the pension funds for teachers and other state workers are underfunded, questioning
the investment choices of the Retirement Systems of Alabama. more…
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White House Asks Weathercasters to Cover Climate Change
TVNewsCheck.com
5/20/14 – The White House wants TV meteorologists to join the effort in raising awareness
about climate change. Ed Maibach, Director of the Center for Climate Change
Communication, said weathercasters should use their reports to increase interest and knowledge
using materials from the center. more…
Job Growth Is More than Numbers
NewsMax.com
5/20/14 – What are the markers of economic recovery? Keith Hall, Senior Research Fellow of
the Mercatus Center, said that counting jobs is not enough to determine whether there is a full
job recovery. more...
Dyslexia Could Have Some Advantages
TodayOnline.com
5/21/14 – People with dyslexia might face challenges, but they also have advantages. Thomas
West, a researcher and author who works with the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, said
that dyslexics envision possibilities, see patterns and make discoveries because they have
dyslexia. more…
Terrorism Expert from Mason Addresses Benghazi
Union Leader.com
5/21/14 – Jeffery B. Cozzens, a researcher at the Center for Infrastructure Protection and
Homeland Security, offered his expert opinion about the upcoming Benghazi investigation.
Cozzens said the House Select Committee should look at into both the actual attack and the
culture of terror that precipitated it. more…
Subcommittee Seeks Reforms to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
HousingWire.com
5/21/14 – Mercatus Center’s Senior Research Fellow Hester Pierce was among a panel of
experts who provided testimony to the House Subcommittee of Financial Institutions and
Consumer Credit regarding improvements to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. more…
Aspiring Scientists Intern at GMU
Virginia Bio
5/21/14 – Amy VanMeter Adams directs the Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program at
GMU, in the Center for Applied Proteomics & Molecular Medicine on the Prince William
Campus. High school and college age scientists will gain hands-on experience using the latest
technologies and participate in workshops that promote creativity, career development, and
communication skills for STEM careers. more…
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Mason Researcher Testifies on Social Security Reform
InsuranceNewsNet.com
5/22/14 – Jason Fichtner, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, testified before the
Senate Finance Committee to address Social Security reforms. He said reforms should focus on
encouraging increased US savings, labor-force participation, and economic growth. more…
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ORED MEDIA REPORT 5/5/14 – 5/15/14
High Frequency Trading—Fair for All
eFXNews.com
5/5/14 – Michael Lewis, a researcher at the Mercatus Center, weighed in on the controversial
topic of high frequency trading (HFT), arguing for fairness for all in a recently released Working
Paper. more...
TGen Strikes Research Pact with George Mason University
AZCentral.com
5/6/14 – President Àngel Cabrera said a new partnership between Mason researchers and
Translational Genomics Research Institute scientists will strengthen efforts to understand and
fight cancer and traumatic brain injury by leveraging both intuitions’ expertise . more...
TGen and George Mason Launch Precision Medicine Alliance
GenomeWeb.com
5/6/14 – Àngel Cabrera, president of GMU, said a collaboration between Translational Genomics
Research Institute and George Mason has the potential to help more patients with cancer and
traumatic injuries. more . . .
TGen and George Mason University Announce Precision Medicine Alliance
4-Traders.com
5/7/14 – A new partnership between Translational Genomics Research Institute and GMU
positions researchers at both institutions to study the molecular causes of devastating diseases
such as cancer and develop personalized treatments. This research is a boon for the scientific
and medical communities, says President Àngel Cabrera. more . . .
TGen/George Mason Research Alliance Benefits Patients with Life-ThreateningIllnesses
News-Medical.net
5/7/14 – World leaders in in exploring the fundamentals of disease development, George Mason
and Translational Genomics Research Institute are now partnering to find new, personalized
treatments for cancer and traumatic injury. more . . .
Time Away Hurts Surgeons’ Job Performance
NPR.org
5/8/14 – Lorens Helmchen, a researcher at the College of Health and Human Services, was
interviewed by Morning Edition’s Steve Inskeep about surprising findings from his research on
surgeons’ performance after time off from surgery. more . . .
Cato Institute Panel on ObamaCare Challenges
5/9/14 – Ilya Somin, a Mason law professor, moderated this debate about challenges to
ObamaCare for the Cato Institute. The discussion focuses on the individual health insurance
mandate required by the Affordable Health Care Act. more . . .
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Number-Crunching May Help Crack Alzheimer’s Disease Code
MedicalXpress.com
5/9/14 – Professor Dimitri Klimov at the School of Systems Biology is collaborating with
Parabon Computation to harness the power of thousands of volunteers’ computers in his study of
Alzheimer’s. Volunteers can download software that runs simulations on their computers to
speed up Klimov’s analysis of the disease by orders of magnitude. more . . .
Teenage Employment Tumbles
Investor’s Business Daily
5/9/14 – Keith Hall, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, reports troubling statistics
about teen employment. more . . .
Your Computer Downtime Could Crack the Alzheimer’s Code
Recode.net
5/11/14 – Thanks to a new collaboration with Parabon Computation, Professor Dimitri Klimov
in the School of Systems Biology can increase his computation capacity by involving volunteers
in his efforts to study Alzheimer’s. more...
Millions of California Voters Missing from Registration Rolls
The Sacramento Bee (Reprinted on May 12th in the BakersfieldCalifornian)
5/11/14 – Professor Michael P. McDonald of Mason’s U.S. Election Project weighs in on
election malaise and voter apathy in California. more...
Does Health Insurance Increase Lifespan?
USA Today
5/12/14 – Professor Alison Cuellar, College of Health and Human Services, lent her expertise
to analysis of mortality rates and insurance coverage across states. more...
Researcher Receives $3.3 Million Grant to Find a Cure for HIV
News-Medical.net
5/12/14 – Professor Yuntao Wu, School of Systems Biology, can continue his work developing
a potential cure for HIV thanks to a large NIH grant. Wu’s “Trojan Horse” virus could offer
people struggling with AIDS some good news in the next five years. more...
Economics, Discrimination and Basketball
WorldNetDaily.com
5/13/14 – Professor of Economics Walter E. Williams weighs in on the recent controversy
regarding Donald Sterling, former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, focusing on the greater
implications of his behavior on the economy and society. more...
In Defense of Broadband Fast Lanes
Recode.net
5/13/14 – Mercatus Center research fellow Brent Skorup offers a different perspective on the
debate over net neutrality in this commentary that asks readers to rethink broadband “fast lanes.”
more...
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Life under Cuban Communism
Washington Post
5/13/14 – Professor Ilya Somin of the School of Law examines Michael Totten’s City Journal
article about the realities of life under Cuban communism, which he says mirrors a fictional
dystopian world in its shortages, poverty, and lack of access to basic needs. more...
Fix the FDA, Fix Patents, Save Lives
Forbes
5/13/14 – Economist Tyler Cowen, a professor at the Center for Study of Public Choice at
GMU, is cited in this op/ed that calls for changes to FDA regulations and patent laws that would
make drugs available on generic form more quickly. more...
Scientists Fight Disease that Steals Memories
The Austrailian
5/14/14 –Mason’s School of Systems Biology researchers, led by Professor Dmitri Klimov, are
collaborating with Parabon Computation to develop a tool that allows computer users to assist in
the “Compute Against Alzheimer’s Disease” project, speeding up the research that will help
scientists understand the disease at a molecular level. more...
Federal Judge Strikes Down Idaho Law Banning Same-SexMarriage
Washington Post
5/14/14 – Professor Ilya Somin of the School of Law discusses the implications of a recent
court ruling that could allow same-sex couples in Idaho to marry this week. This ruling is part of
the waterfall of similar rulings that have given supporters of same-sex marriage momentum in
the courts and in public opinion. more…
Political Challenges in Medicaid Expansion
DeSoto Times Today
5/14/14 – Charles Blahous, the public trustee for Social Security and Medicare at the Mercatus
Center, offers some insight on the failure of Medicaid expansion efforts to gain political support.
more…
State Health Law Decreases Mortality Rates
The Sun Chronicle
5/14/14 – Professor Alison Cuellar from the College of Health and Human Services lent her
expertise to analysis of mortality rates and insurance coverage across states. more. . .
Disconnecting Free Wi-Fi Is a Good Thing
Press.Enterprise.com
5/14/14 – Brent Skorup, a research fellow in the Technology Policy Program at the Mercatus
Center, offers his opinion about cities’ role in providing Internet access. more…
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Poorest Poor Left Out of Government Aid
CNNMoney (Reprinted on ABC17News.com)
5/15/14 – This article quotes Senior Research Fellow Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus
Center, who explained the political popularity of the Earned Income Tax Credit, credited with
moving families from welfare to work. more…
Better Management Could Spur a New Era of Economic Growth
Bloomberg.com
5/15/14 – Tyler Cowen’s theory of “The Great Stagnation” is part of the debate over economic
policy. Cowen, an economist at the Center for Study of Public Choice, argued that plucking
the “low-hanging fruit” will not solve deeper problems. more…
Regulation Could Slow Our Future
New York Times
5/15/14 – Brent Skorup, a research fellow at the Mercatus Center, questioned net neutrality
rules and said that new rules proposed by the FCC would hamper the speed of online gaming,
cheaper television packages, and other services. more…
The Right-to-Be-Forgotten vs. Right-to-Know
TechNewsWorld.com
5/15/14 – Adam Thierer, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center, joined the debate
spurred by a recent ruling of the European Court of Justice over the an individual’s right to have
personal information removed from the Internet. more…
Debating Open Borders
National Review
5/15/14 – This video features Professor Bryan Caplan, an economist from the Center for
Study of Public Choice, debated opening American’s borders. Caplan argued that treating
foreigners differently from Americans is unfair. more...
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